The Perryville Board of Aldermen approved a multi-million-dollar payment for runway improvements at the city’s regional airport when it met in regular session Aug. 20 at city hall.
The payment to Millstone Weber, LLC, totaled $4,487,001.74 for the Runway Rehabilitation project that is currently underway.
“Millstone Weber has begun the runway reconstruction project at the airport, which has required a complete shutdown of the runway for 30 days,” said City Administrator Brent Buerck. This project has been a decade or more in the making, and we are very excited to have reached this point.” (See the separate story on the runway project in this issue.)
In other consent agenda items, the board:
– approved a $87,617.43 payment to Schuessler Excavating, LLC, for the Northeast Outfall Sewer Replacement Project, Phase 3. This is the final phase of the new sewer trunk line.
– approved a $41,025 invoice from Joe Geile Excavating, LLC for sinkhole repairs at St. Vincent School
“This is one of those sinkholes that grew bigger as the staff got into it,” Buerck said. All sinkholes are completed on a time and material basis, but because of the depth and breadth of this sinkhole, it became more expensive than most. The sinkhole also required an Aqua Swirl filter. Given the cost of the improvement, we thought it was best to have the board approve this particular invoice for the related excavation services. The good news, if we can call it that, is that the sinkhole was fixed correctly and should not be a problem in the future.
– approved a $12,410.31 invoice from Delta Companies Inc. for the MoDOT Route B Overlay project.
Buerck said, “This project ‘piggy-backed’ off of MoDOT’s contract to reseal B-Road and will finish the city-owned, but still asphalt portion of B-Road that is within the city limits, but before the concreted portion of Main Street.
– acknowledged staff approval to allow KS Technical LLC to complete necessary cleaning, inspection and sandblasting to the jet fuel tank for $25,336.
“A recent inspection found a bacteria beginning to grow within a fuel tank at the airport,” Buerck said. “Seizing the moment with the runway being shut down, the staff worked to secure an emergency contractor to complete the cleaning and repairs before the runway would reopen. Given that the price exceeded the staff’s purchasing authority, it was discussed with and preapproved by the mayor prior to our proceeding. This bill serves only as an estimate and the staff expects the final bill may be lower than estimated as we have had good luck so far as the bacteria was very early in its growth. Despite the growth, the fuel was never in jeopardy and passed all required testing.”
– approved a recommendation from Public Works Director Jeff Layton for the revision of personnel rules and regulations regarding public works employee distance requirement.
Buerck said, “The staff has researched other communities and found our address restrictions for public works on-call employees may be a little more onerous than others. The staff
asked the board to consider revisions to our current standard of 25 miles, without a specification for time, which will better match industry norms. To this end, the staff proposes a new standard of 35 miles and 45 minutes for employee home-to-work distance and time.”
– authorized the staff to rebid the Perryville Boulevard Shared Use Path – Phase 3.
“This is for the previously approved TAP project connecting the city’s greenway along Perryville Boulevard to Kingshighway,” Buerck said. “It is an 80/20 match with the Missouri
Highway Department. It is being rebid as MoDOT required the rejection of the previous bids as the first several bidders failed to meet the DBE (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) goals MoDOT had in place for the project.”
– approved a request for qualifications regarding theater lighting and controls for the Perry
Park Center.
Buerck said, “This is a budgeted project to improve the lighting systems in the Park Center’s theater. Once selected, staff will work with the chosen contractor to design and install an LED lighting system that will equal the audio system — installed in 2021 — and carry us forward.”
– approved bid specifications for the community center HVAC replacement project.
“Last year, the city replaced two units that were failing and budgeted to replace the
other two this year,” Buerck said. “We are now ready for that work to occur and ask board
permission to proceed with obtaining bids on the remaining two units.”
– approved a recommendation from Parks and Recreation Director Cadwell for reassigning
resources in the park budget to outfit the newly acquired maintenance shed building.
Buerck said, “Director Cadwell did a good job outlining the staff’s plan — and supporting reasons — to begin refurbishing the newly acquired park maintenance complex. It is important that these improvements be made before we begin the process of moving in and will make the buildings useable for many years to come. The delayed projects will be reconsidered and reinserted into future Capital Improvement Plans (CIPs).”
– approved plans and specifications for Transportation Alternative Program TAP 9900(149)
Star Street path.
“MoDOT has reviewed and approved the city’s design and prework on this project, and we are now ready to go out for bid,” Buerck said.
– reviewed and approved $116,767 in bids received for Baseball Field #5 Improvements and awarded the project to Saline Creek Grading, LLC, per the recommendation of City Engineer Tim Baer.
Buerck said, “This project is a complete reconstruction of Field 5 — the last major field to do so — including fencing and dura-edge surface and grading work. Dura-edge helps the field dry out quickly and has been successful on the other fields. This project was included in the 2024-25 budget.”
– approved a request for a traffic study relative to a “children at play” sign at the alley of Smith Street and Ash Street, south of Thomas Street.
“While campaigning, one of the commissioners was asked by a concerned citizen to
– approved a recommendation from Parks and Recreation Director Cadwell to accommodate a temporary lifeguard staff shortage.
Buerck said, “National news stories have been previously shared with the board documenting the national shortage of qualified lifeguards, but with our summer students
returning to school, the problem has started to affect us here locally. Staff is actively recruiting new lifeguards but must now propose minor adjustments at the pool until we have returned to full staff. Specifically, this means the deep well and dive boards may be unavailable for patron use at different times of the week.”
– approved a recommendation from Parks and Recreation Director Cadwell for a plan to install solar overhead trail lights in the Bank of Missouri Soccer Complex and City Park and to request Citizens Electric Company to install two electric streetlights in City Park.
“This was discussed at our previous meeting and is now being presented for official Approval,” Buerck said. “The staff would like to see Citizens install the new streetlights immediately and, upon board approval, will include the solar lights in next year’s budget.
– approved the appointments of the Planning & Zoning Code Update Steering Committee
members.
Buerck said, “These members were selected by the mayor to help steer the community through the process of reworking our zoning codes. All have readily agreed to serve and their combination will provide a diverse background and varied experiences, which will prove highly useful in our process.”
– approved a request from Immanuel Lutheran School’s seventh-grade parents to hold a boot drive around the square from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, April 4th, 2025, and from 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 5th, with proceeds benefiting a Washington, D.C. youth trip.
“Parents of Immanuel Lutheran School 2023 seventh graders are holding various fundraisers to support their eighth-grade class trip to Washington D.C.,” said Buerck. “This fundraiser will help defer the cost of the trip for the students and their families. They have requested permission to hold a “boot drive” in the downtown square. The event will be staffed by both students and parents. They will stand at the intersection, collecting change from vehicles at the stoplights. All necessary precautions will be taken to keep everyone safe. If approved, the staff proposes that traffic lights be set to ‘stop and go’ as opposed to ‘red light/green light.’”
– approved a request from Perry County Creative Arts to place a banner in Miget Park at its
intersection with St. Joseph Street and North Perryville Boulevard.
Buerck said, “In September of 2023, Perry County Creative Arts hosted an event called Chalk N Talk. The event went over very well to the point it was decided to re-brand it as the Perryville Chalk Art Festival. This new event will take place in Downtown Perryville at the Warehouse Entertainment District, at the corner of Jackson and West North Street. This event has expanded and is grant-funded by the Perry County Community Foundation. They will be bringing in professional chalk artist Craig Thomas, who painted the railroad mural downtown, along with holding several interactive events. Although the request doesn’t call for specific dates for the sign to be displayed, the staff recommends no more than three weeks before the date of the event.
– acknowledged receipt of the Perry Plaza Community Improvement District Annual Report
for 2024.
“This is an annual process where the board acknowledges receipt of the CID’s annual report,” said Buerck. “EDA Director Crystal Jones serves as a board member and city representative for the organization.”
– accepted responsibility for owning and maintaining two panel additions to the Wall of Honor at City Park.
Buerck said, “The Rauhs and the Military History Museum continue to draw interest for more names for the Wall of Honor. They have completed the latest phase, and it is presented for official acceptance by the City of Perryville.”
The board discussed the project to reseal the parking lots surrounding the Perry Park Center.
“It has been about 10 years since we last resealed the parking lots surrounding the park center,” Buerck said. The staff budgeted to do so again this year. The darkly shaded areas have deteriorated substantially since our last sealing. These areas consist primarily of parking spots where vehicles leak oil and the like, accelerating the deterioration. The staff sought the board’s direction at the meeting regarding one of the following options: 1) Reseal everything, knowing some of it is too far gone to benefit, but it would keep everything the same color and looking the same; 2) Reseal only the good areas and allow the slow deterioration of the others, knowing they will eventually need to be replaced but ensuring we get the maximum value and life out of our previous investment; or 3) Reseal nothing, allowing the natural deterioration to occur and eventually replacing everything.
Resolutions
The board approved the following resolutions:
– Entering into a five-year agreement with Pepsi Mid-America relative to inside and outdoor concession soft drinks for the Park and Recreation Department.
– Entering into an agreement with Perry County, Perry Development Corporation (PDC), and Industrial Development Authority of Perry County (IDA) relative to funding support by the city and county to the Perry County EDA.
– Amending the Broadcasting Board Meetings Policy relative to unattended video equipment.
– Entering into an agreement with Perry County relative to the installation and maintenance of a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN).
Bills
The board approved the following bills:
– First and second reading and final passage of a bill establishing the 2024-25 property tax rate regarding General Revenue and Park.
– First and second reading and final passage of a bill establishing the 2024-25 property tax rate regarding bond indebtedness.
– First reading of an ordinance readopting Title 2 of Chapter 2.48 of the Code of Ordinances regarding Personal Financial Disclosure.
– First reading of an ordinance amending section 2.88.300 of the Code of Ordinances regarding Personnel Rules and Regulations regarding Residence.
– First reading of an ordinance accepting an easement deed from St. Vincent DePaul Catholic Church.
Reports were heard from the city administrator and the city engineer.
