After more than one year since the issue reached the road, the Jefferson City Council is moving forward with a project to address failing stormwater infrastructure in the city's 3rd Ward.
At the City Council meeting Monday, a bill was introduced to authorize a $243,000 contract with Don Schnieders Excavating to replace and expand the failed stormwater system under Forest Hill Avenue and Forest Drive.
The Forest Hill stormwater system was highlighted by the News Tribune in early July as an example of the city's backlogged stormwater issues. At that time, the city had 58 projects listed with a total of more than $15 million in cost estimates, but it continues to grow as staff find more problem areas within the city.
Funding for stormwater infrastructure primarily comes from the city's half-cent capital improvement sales tax, which was renewed by voters earlier this month. In the next five-year installment, stormwater is budgeted to receive $1.8 million, a reduction from the $2 million it received in the current installment.
The failing stormwater system on Forest Hill has led to the road visibly crumbling, with large holes developing in one of the two lanes allowing entrance to Forest Drive. The hole began to develop more than one year ago and, as Forest Drive has only one entrance and exit, residents had grown concerned about the possibility of being trapped on their street.
The council is expected to approve the bill at its next meeting Sept. 6.
In other business, the council approved amending a contract with Lauber Municipal Law for services related to the proposed Truman Hotel Tax Tax Increment Financing (TIF) plan, which has been further delayed.
The city had entered the contract in October 2015 with the expectation expenses would not exceed $25,000, but as the project hit delays, the expectation now is the contract will exceed $50,000. The staff report states expenses have already reached roughly $41,000.
The staff report states the applicant, Puri Group of Enterprises, will reimburse the expenses.
The TIF proposal, which would allow developer Puri Group of Enterprises to use tax revenue to redevelop the former Truman Hotel property, was rejected by the Jefferson City TIF Commission in June, but the full City Council can still approve the TIF with a two-thirds supermajority vote in favor.
The proposal was originally expected to be presented to the City Council at its Aug. 1 meeting, but delays in further contract negotiations caused that to be pushed back to the next meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, with a vote on the proposal expected at the Sept. 6 meeting.
But last week, City Administrator Steve Crowell said negotiations were continuing, and the presentation had to be delayed once again.
Crowell had said there is no new date set for the presentation or bill introduction, though there is a specified time frame the council has to adhere to that requires a decision be made by late September.
Reporter Madeleine Leroux covers Jefferson City government for the News Tribune.