Council Hears Two Requests Tuesday With Discussions On Numerous Projects

The Sullivan City council met in open session Tuesday, October 5, where they received two requests before them along with reviewing a number of projects and items before them including city electric and hired tow new employees.

Under requests and petitions Temple Baptist Church, 444 Beeman St., received approval from the council to close a portion of Orchard St. to South Mansion for their annual Fall Festival, Sunday, October 31, from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The second request before the council was from Dallas Williams, 727 Dunnigan, appeared before the council and stated his wife, Anita Williams, was approached by a woman who told her that during a meeting somewhere, a group of people referred to the Williams family as “outsiders” and that “outsiders” were not welcome. 

Williams stated to the council that he and his family would not be leaving and were not “outsiders.”

Mayor Dennis Watz asked where this meeting was and what group of people stated this?

Williams replied that he didn’t know.

Williams reported that his family resided previously in a Sullivan motel for several months where his wife displayed unselfish acts and concern for the welfare of others.

Williams stated that he did have a background in law enforcement and knows the law.

He concluded that his family contributed to the Sullivan community and with his son’s help, his dream is to lead the Little League to win the World Series.

Under City Administrator J.T. Hardy report to the council that COVID-19 grants are available and are 100 percent funded with no city match and inlclude: CARES Act funds of $30,000 for construction for the new hangar at the airport, CRRSAA fund of $13,000 for operation and maintenance costs for the airport and ARPA funding distributes funds to non-entitlement units of local government. The first allotment was approximately $719,000 and it’s expected the city will receive between $1.2 and $1.4 million in total funds. The city has received the first two payments.

The Water Department received approval for Alexander Construction to instal a new overhead door on the water department building in the amount of $8,680.80. The door was recently damaged and Alexander, who constructed the building initially and is constructing the Electric Department building was approved for the project.

Hardy received approval to hire Benton & Associates for the ADA transition plan in the city needed to be able to continue to receive funds from MODot. The company, from Rolla, was awarded a contract not to exceed $29,500.

Electric rates appear to stay held once again by the City of Sullivan as Hardy reported to the council that due to the cities conservancy the automatic operations increase was not recommended at this time. The council agreed unanimously and approved the recommendation from Hardy.

The council approved Administrator Hardy to look into a no interest loan from Missouri Department of Natural Resources for municipalities that incurred record high utility bills in February due to alleged shortages in natural gas electricity production on the market.

The city used it’s electric reserve funds to pay a massive $2,425,851.94 bill that was not passed on to utility customers.

City staff informed the council that MoDot will be replacing concrete at the Elmont and Springfield Rd, intersection on our about November 1, 2022 with the paving portion of the project to come in the Spring of 2022. This project will include milling and asphalt.

The council did go into closed session to discuss three matters of litigation and two matters of personnel with Zachary Woodcock being hired as a semi-skilled laborer in the Street Department and Brandon McCulloch being hired as a patrolman with the Sullivan Police Department.