The Skidmore City Council at the August 10 meeting requested residents who aren’t on social media to give city hall information on how to contact them for city emergencies such as water boil advisories.

The council and City Clerk Sadie McHugh received training with Zenner USA, Addison, TX, on the water meter and computer programs. The meters should all be working and McHugh said she can look up minute-by-minute usage. The system will flag excessive water usage and store the information for five years.

In the discussion on jake brakes, Maintenance Supervisor Ben Marion said there are signs in storage. He was instructed to place them to reduce the noise from trucks using jake brakes. Discussion was held on rumble strips on highways 113 and D. Further discussion was held on whether the Nodaway County Sheriff could check speeders. It was decided to contact the Missouri State Highway Patrol about using a flashing speed sign.

The smoke testing went well with not as many sewer leaks as expected. The city has manhole covers with holes that allow rain water to go into the sewer system, causing higher cost for processing. The city will use carriage bolts to block the holes and reduce the water intake.

McClure Engineering Co., Kansas City, is providing a monthly report on the Skidmore Wastewater project. July progress with the wastewater study included performing manhole inspections; draft updated collections system map; create and provide public notification template for smoke testing; assist Missouri Rural Water Association and city perform smoke testing; start compiling results; and preliminary assessment of field work findings.

McClure acts as a go-between with DNR. The company attended CWERG grant award meeting and assisted with establishing a new signatory authority.

Water mains and hydrants flushings were discussed. Kenny Shewey as part of the Skidmore Fire Department helps with projects. He doesn’t know if the valves have ever been flushed. The city will need to replace a valve at Cherry and Locust. He recommends doing the flushing in September. The hydrant at Clements has trouble shutting off. It may need to be replaced. It will take two people to do the flushing.

Mayor Teresa Carter said DNR is requiring the city to charge repair and maintenance fees to be placed into a fund. She recommended $2.50 each for sewer and water monthly. No action was taken.

Operator Jonathan Eckstein of People Service, Inc. turned in a July water operation and maintenance report. He listed the dates of visits or logged time on July 3, 6, 7, 10, 12, 17, 25, 26 and 28.

Eckstein turned in a draft Capacity Management Operation Manual (CMOM) in response to a letter of warning issued by DNR in March. He had collected the monthly sewer samples on June 25 and July 26 to submit the results to DNR with the monthly discharge monitoring reports. All samples collected complied with the final effluent permit limits set in the State Operating Permit, except for ammonia and E. coli which exceeded permit limits.

“The cause for the high ammonia is the trickling filter is not in operation preventing the needed bacterial growth required to remove BOD5 and ammonia,” Eckstein’s report said. “The cause for the excessive E. coli sample results is no form of disinfection.”

Ordinance #2023 – Sunshine Law Policy was passed naming McHugh as the appointed custodian of the Skidmore records.

A resident who was present asked if the city was planning to get trash receptacles for a fall clean-up. The city officers had decided earlier with the cost increase of the receptacles to not do the free fall cleanup. The leaders will look at the cost again and determine if funds are available.

Skidmore was scheduled to be audited August 14 and 16 for the purpose of the sewer project funding for DNR.