During the regular meeting on Tuesday, Southwest City's board of aldermen took measures to ensure the council will continue to meet during this unprecedented pandemic.
Council members voted to purchase five Android tablets at a cost of $399.95, and protective cases, in order to gather remotely when they cannot gather physically.
City Clerk Krystal Austen also suggested utilizing the TownCloud program for the secure creation and sharing of council-related documents prior to the meeting. Austen said it costs roughly $50 each month to print the material for each alderman's packet and 8 to 10 hours of labor to assemble them. She said TownCloud came highly recommended by five city clerks in the area and offers a three-month free trial.
The council voted to utilize TownCloud.
After many years of requests for an additional police officer, the council also voted to advertise the position for hire. Applications can be submitted to City Hall.
New Business
Yutsil Marquz requested a business license to open a restaurant in town.
"I think we should open the door for any new business," Mayor David Blake said.
The council approved the business license.
Ryder and Alyssa Haggard sought approval of a building permit for an addition to their current property, while Jose Estrada and Selvin Villatoro sought approval to install storm shelters on their properties.
The council approved the Haggard's building permit and also approved the shelter installations -- contingent upon the proper setbacks being observed.
Alderman Joe Carpenter proposed the city continue maintaining lawn care at the Senior Citizen's Center, but Mayor Blake said it would be an insurance liability because the Commercial Club owns the building.
Departmental Reports
Fire Chief Shane Clark reported that, since the last meeting, the department has responded to two motor vehicle accidents and five medical calls and conducted one welfare check.
Police Chief Bud Gow reported, since the last meeting, the department has issued one ticket, assisted with one lock-out, took one report and provided assistance to neighboring agencies twice.
Public Works Director Shane Clark reported the street department has been patching roadways, mowing in town and cleaning Blankenship Park. The water department repaired a water meter behind City Hall and a water meter on S. Main Street, both of which appeared to be run over. The wastewater department rebuilt the lift station at Blankenship Park, cleared a blocked sewer main on Bluebird Lane and unplugged a sewer main on Liberty Road. The council discussed the scope of necessary repairs on these mains.
City Clerk Krystal Austen reported the city is now accepting water bill payments online. Austen told the council she created a covid-19 account to record all expenses accrued during the pandemic that could possibly be reimbursed by FEMA. She noted there is a similar account for water project expenses. Austen also submitted a request for public assistance on behalf of Southwest City.
In other business, the council:
• Instated Ordinance No. 619 amending the city's agreement with Anderson Engineering and allowing for the reallocation of engineering fees so the city is not charged for unused services;
• Approved the purchase of a cell phone signal booster for City Hall and the Police Department at a cost of $199.99;
• Enacted new fees for sewer line and waterline taps and approved the updated utility service application;
• Approved amendments to the General Fund budget;
• Tentatively rescheduled the City-Wide Clean-Up for the first weekend in May and the City-Wide Yard Sale for mid-May;
• Approved accounts payable in the amount of $27,681.26.
General News on 04/16/2020