Actions taken Monday night by the Trenton City Council include having the city of Trenton be the sponsor on a tourism grant application, a wage increase of $1.00 per hour for city and TMU employees, scheduling the municipal election for April 4, 2023, and having an ordinance prepared calling for a public vote on an additional local sales tax that can be applied to any future recreational marijuana sales at Trenton.
Jackie Soptic of Green Hills Regional Planning Commission and Scott Sharp of North Central Missouri Development Alliance presented additional information on a grant opportunity requesting ARPA funds for tourism purposes. They outlined proposed two-year project ideas to use grant and local matching funds for the purchase of 30 directional signs to help visitors find their way around Trenton plus two downtown murals, flower pots for downtown, picnic tables for use at the Missouri Day Festival, and a metal cover for the Tom Brown log cabin which a local group wants to restore.
The minimum amount of the grant request is $250,000 with specifics requiring a fifty percent local match or $125,000. The Trenton Convention and Visitors Bureau has pledged $50,000 over two years. It was announced last night Wright Memorial Hospital will pledge $5,000. Other prospective contributors were identified as Main Street Trenton, the Trenton Chamber of Commerce, Hoover Foundation, NCMC, Trenton R-9 School District, the Grundy County Museum, Riverside Country Club, Black Silo Winery, and Modine Manufacturing.
The Park Board or city or TMU was suggested to provide an in-kind contribution such as the installation of the “wayfinding” signs.
Specifics shared with the council on the double-sided directional signs include creative design, laminated ridge print, U-channel posts and anchors as well as the installation. A Kansas City company provided the $150,000 quote.
Mrs. Soptic, who said she started writing the grant request, commented the application includes project descriptions and their need, financial pledges, and letters of support from stakeholders and elected officials. There’s a December 14th deadline to submit the grant request to the Department of Economic Development. Soptic described the process as competitive since the state expects to receive numerous applications for a portion of the ARPA funds. She was asked to provide an update at the December 12th Trenton City Council meeting.
The motion to have the city of Trenton be the sponsor for the grant application passed on a four-to-one council vote. In favor were John Dolan, Danny Brewer, Dave Mlika, and Marvin Humphreys. Opposed was Glen Briggs who voiced his concern that being the sponsor, the city may be “on the hook” for a financial commitment to make up for a funding pledge that did not materialize.
Following up on a recommendation from the Trenton Finance Committee, based on the substantial sales of asphalt this year, the five-member council approved a wage increase of one dollar an hour for employees. The additional cost for thirty-nine salaried and hourly city workers will be $96,619. The additional cost for 31 TMU employees will be $78,094.
The increase amounts to a cost of living allowance averaging four point eight percent. The council was reminded that the fire department budget allowed for part-time and pay-by-call firefighters to receive the hourly rate adjustment depending on whether they received certifications, as firefighter one and firefighter II. The wage would be $15.13 per hour with certifications, and fifty cents per hour less without certification. It was mentioned the minimum wage in Missouri increases next year to $12 per hour.
The council also requested the street department advertise for an additional worker since it’s been operating one person short of having a full staff. A Discussion also was held on whether the Trenton Street Department secretary should be a full-time position.
Health insurance will be going up in 2023. Trenton is a member of MIRMA with a self-insurance pool involving municipalities across the state. Figures provided to the city council indicate rates will increase by fifteen percent. In 2022, rates went down by four percent. New premiums for eligible employees on a PPO plan are $840 and those on an insurance plan that offers a higher deductible have a premium of $691.
When Missouri voters approved amendment three to legalize sales of recreational marijuana, one of the provisions allows municipalities like Trenton to assess an additional sales tax of three percent. That’s on top of the 8.35 cents in the state, county, and city sales taxes already imposed in Trenton. An ordinance is to be prepared calling for a special election with voting next April on the additional sales tax for retail sales of marijuana for recreational use. It’s unknown at this time whether Trenton will have any vendors for marijuana sales in the future.
Norris Quarries, with a plant at Mount Moriah, was approved to provide sand and rock for usage in 2023. Ten thousand tons of sand will be purchased at $10.25 per ton an increase from $9.05 per ton in 2022. 25,000 tons of one-half-inch clean rock will be purchased by the city at $19.50 per ton.
Street Supervisor Gary Dryer was authorized to purchase a “Cozy King: wood-burning stove for the 4,000 square foot shop building. Dryer provided a cost estimate from a Jamesport dealer of $5,200. The council felt this was better than continuing to use waste oil and diesel fuel in the shop buildings’ furnaces.
With little comment, the council approved a revised policy on lead or galvanized water service lines as it applies to property owners and TMU.
An ordinance was adopted to match state law specifying the operator and/or passenger on motorcycles and motorized tricycles shall wear protective headgear if they are under the age of 26. The penalty for a violation is a $25 fine.
The other ordinance approved sets the municipal election for April 4th. Expiring then are the four-year term of Mayor Linda Crooks as well as two-year terms for each of the four councilmen that include Lance Otto in the First Ward, Danny Brewer in the Second Ward, Robert Romesburg in the Third Ward, and John Dolan in the Fourth Ward. The filing period in Trenton City Hall opens December 6th and closes December 27th.
