Four City Employees Resign, City Clerk Alms To Retire
During closed session on Tuesday evening, Ava Board of Aldermen accepted resignations from four city employees. Two of the four notices were for retirement reasons.
The resignations were given as follows: Police Officer Winston Collins, concluding four-years with the department; Police Clerk Amy Kilgore, 13 years, and retirees, Gloria Moore, utility billing clerk, 17 years, and Marilyn Alms, who has worked as city clerk for 40 years of service.
According to the City of Ava, Jennifer Lakey will move into job responsibilities vacated by Moore’s retirement, and the remaining job positions will be filled through the standard interview process.
Individuals interested in applying for the police clerk or utility clerk positions should make application at Penmac, Inc. in Ava.
Police Chief Reggie Johnson, of the Ava Police Department, will oversee the search for a new officer; interested applicants should apply at the Ava PD.
Those interested in applying for the city clerk position should submit an application or resume to the Administrative Director at City Hall.
In a 4-0 vote, council approved Kenney-Hall Construction Company as contractor for the building of a skatepark near the Ava City Park. According to Janice Lorrain, the firm has excellent references as well as knowledge of the process and paperwork. Funding for the project is through an agreement with the Land & Water Conservation Fund.
Lorrain updated council on the status of well no. 7, and the list of options recently received from Department of Natural Resources (DNR), for remedy of the unusable well site, south of town.
Lorrain noted the project started in 2009, and to-date, the well water has not been cleared for any use. Options cited by DNR as possible remedies are the following: 1) remediate the well, which to-date has been totally unsuccessful; 2) disinfect the well with chlorine and UV light processes for a base expense of $202,500; this does not include annual supply costs and upkeep; or 3) build a new water well, at a new site.
Lorrain noted funding utilized for the original well construction still has approximately $79,000 available for use, and the amount could be used to reconstruct well no. 2, north of the square. In the meeting, she noted the remaining $79,000 would adequately cover the cost of fixing well no. 2, and this remedy would also meet standard requirements for population growth. Expenses for fixing well no. 2 were estimated to cost around $75,000.
Lorrain said the plan allows for the new generator at well no. 7 to be moved to another city well site, and although well no. 7 is abandoned, it will continue to stabilize city water pressure. Then, in approximately 10 years, the city would once again look at the possibility of pursuing option no. 3 and building a new well near the industrial park area.
Councilmen agreed to submit the proposed response to DNR for consideration and approval.
Council also agreed to have the by-pass elimination system tested, as scheduled for this year. The aldermen decided the system will be tested under a contractual agreement with the City of Monett, and Ava will ‘piggyback’ into their program for a cost point of 40¢ per linear ft. The city has 130,000 linear ft. in their system, which must be tested within a set time frame, however, only 60,000 linear ft. will be tested this year. Testing through Monett’s program will provide substantial savings for Ava.
Administrative Director Peggy Porter noted testing costs were included in the 2013 budget, and $25,000 was allotted for the task.
Ray Davison, a representative of the Ava Flying Club, presented Mayor Eddie Maggard and council members with a proposed plan to implement a fuel system for pilots frequenting the Bill Martin Memorial Airport, in Ava.
Davison’s request encompassed purchasing a 24-hour – 7 days a week system that would allow open refueling at the airport, an option Davison said would greatly enhance use of the facility, as well as provide a venue for possible profit margins.
Included in the plan, Davison proposed the City of Ava purchase a portable pumping system that meets Phillips 66 filtration requirements. The system has a 4,000 gallon tank, which is fire protected with a lined concrete barrier and control panel on the front. The fuel system, offered through a company in Columbia, Mo., costs $88,026.11.
Taking the proposal under consideration, council members requested additional information about airport fueling operations, profitability of other locations and growth patterns. For comparison purposes, two additional equipment bids were also requested.
In the meeting, municipal court dockets for August and September were approved as presented, and monthly bills approved for payment.
Additional items noted on the agenda, and briefly discussed, were: police car purchases, maintenance, dog pound issues, and the feasibility of a methamphetamine ordinance.
Councilmen present were: Burrely Loftin, Ric Engelhardt, Bill Long and David Norman.
The next council meeting is slated for Tuesday, Oct. 22, 5:00 p.m. at Ava City Hall.
