Maryville council struggles through meeting

The Maryville City Council held a public hearing for a special use permit at the new Maryville Public Safety facility at the onset of the March 23 meeting with no public seated in the gallery.

The regularly scheduled meeting’s general public were not allowed to address the council in person due to the COVID-19 edict from the Missouri governor of no more than 10 people congregating. All of the council, three staff members and three media members were there. The meeting was live-streamed for others to observe.

Business items handled included:

• Authorized the Show-Me Green Sales Tax Holiday set for April 19 to 25 where the city waives the local sales tax. The city has participated since 2000. Mayor Rachael Martin recommended NCED reach out to merchants to have the ability of online sales.

• Approved the contract amendment with Tyler Technologies Inc., Plano, TX, for software applications used in the finance and human resources departments for accounting, payroll, human resources, utility billing and permit tracking for code enforcement as well as a cloud hosting fee of $12,650 annually, which is budgeted.

• Authorized the issuance of special use permit for the new public safety facility’s 80 foot communications tower, which was approved by the planning and zoning commission.

• Executed a change order with EL Crawford Construction for the public safety facility’s tower construction $53,150 which will be reimbursed by the Polk Township Fire Protection District. Councilman Tye Parsons suggested a web camera be installed on the tower top.

• Passed an ordinance to officially set the consolidated dispatch services agreement with Nodaway County and Nodaway County Ambulance District current contract for revenue of $71,766 annually.

• Approved the support and maintenance contract of the 911 dispatch equipment with Communications Venture Corporation at a cost of $10,925 to be split annually with Nodaway County.

• A water systems update given by City Manager Greg McDanel spoke of several possibilities being researched by staff. One option is SonicSolutions LLC at $15,000 for one unit that through ultrasound technology powered by a solar system would rid the lake of the algae bloom without harming the fish or other aquatic life. Staff recommended the $14,995 purchase as a test for a small portion of the lake. It has been used by the City of Moberly. Council directed staff to provide an ordinance for the purchase of a unit.

• McDanel also provided the COVID-19 latest update noting the state’s recommendation for social distancing and some nonessential business be shuttered was also being suggested highly in Maryville. The recommendation in effect speaks to restaurants and bars as well as the social distancing at all events including auctions and manufacturing plants that is enforced. He said talks had begun with Kawasaki.

He said the next logical step would proceed when a confirmed case appears in the county and or the Mosaic hospital service area, when the shelter in place mandate could be warranted that would allow public safety to issue tickets.

McDanel also announced Assistant City Manager Ryan Heiland has been appointed as the volunteer coordinator for the city and within city staff it was decided today that several staff members will begin working from home.

Reports

Parsons shared NCED leaders are meeting with a variety of the county’s businesses to seek out what assistance the firm might require to weather the COVID-19 situation.

Councilman Matt Johnson noted that a lot of volunteers are part of the vulnerable population and he encouraged the younger generation to step up to handle some of the needs.

Martin reported the Maryville Chamber’s Maryville Strong effort on their website that keeps the list of business COVID-19 updates.

The council ended the open session and went into closed session for the topic of real estate.