Council to vote on airport project bills, potentially approve budget

Planes sit idle Tuesday, April 14, 2020, on the grounds of the Jefferson City Memorial Airport.
Planes sit idle Tuesday, April 14, 2020, on the grounds of the Jefferson City Memorial Airport.

Due to the Labor Day holiday, the Jefferson City Council will hold its first September meeting Tuesday night, and the agenda includes the city budget, agreements for construction projects and amendments to the city code.

At a previous meeting, the council placed a bill to approve the Fiscal Year 2021 budget on the informal calendar, postponing a vote until the budget was approved by the Budget Committee.

The Budget Committee has now approved the budget, so the council could remove the bill from the informal calendar and vote to approve it Tuesday. The bill can stay on the informal calendar until the Oct. 5 meeting, when it would expire.

City staff will introduce two bills with a request to suspend the rules so council can vote on the bills at the same meeting.

The first would authorize a $187,180 agreement with the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission for metropolitan planning services for fiscal year 2021. This agreement has been made annually since 2003.

The second would amend Chapter 19 of the city code to add two Capitol Police parking spaces on Bolivar Street.

The agenda also includes a resolution to extend three emergency proclamations relating to COVID-19 until Oct. 5.

Bills pending

The council will vote on a few bills that have been previously introduced, including two relating to a project at the Jefferson City Memorial Airport.

One would authorize an agreement with Burns and McDonnell Engineering Company for design and construction services associated with the apron maintenance project at the airport.

The project includes replacement of existing asphalt transitions between the main and north ramps.

The other bill would authorize a grant agreement between the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission and Jefferson City to complete the design work associated with the apron maintenance project.

The grant would fund 90 percent of the project cost, or $143,586. The remaining 10 percent would be funded through the airport's portion of the half-cent Capital Improvement Sales Tax.

Other pending bills include a budget adjustment of an employee position in the Department of Parks and Recreation, two amendments to city code and a development agreement related to 813 Madison Ave.

New bills

City staff will also introduce a number of new bills to the council. Bills introduced at this meeting will be third-read and voted on at the second September meeting.

Two of these bills are being presented by Chief Matt Schofield for the Jefferson City Fire Department.

One would authorize a $54,548 construction contract with GWH Landscape Contracting LLC for a pavement replacement project at Fire Station 5, 1005 Fairgrounds Road.

Another bill would authorize a budget amendment to use leftover funds from Station 2 construction to be used for the Fire Station 4 remodel.

Approximately $348,252 remains unspent from the Station 2 project, and the fire department is requesting to use those funds for Fire Station 4.

One new bill will amend the city code and remove a section requiring helmets be worn by motorcyclists. Missouri lawmakers recently passed legislation that says cities can't enforce helmet laws within their jurisdiction.

Other new bills include two other amendments to the city code, reclassification of a personnel position within the parks department and rezoning of about 3 acres of land on Route CC.

How to participate

Residents may attend the City Council meeting in person but must wear a face mask in compliance with the mayor's emergency proclamation requiring face masks during city meetings. Social distancing within the council chambers is recommended.

For residents wishing to participate without attending the meeting in person, there is a call-in option at 1-404-397-1516 or the option to join the meeting via WebEx with the meeting number 146 096 4157 and password 1234.

The City Council meeting is at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the City Council Chambers at 320 E. McCarty St.