St. Joseph City Council approves consent agenda, advances several ordinances and budgets

The St. Joseph City Council met in regular session and unanimously approved the agenda and consent agenda, authorizing a slate of ordinances, budget amendments and contracts that the council said will support maintenance, public health and facility projects across the city.

The council approved a consent‑agenda package that included an ordinance to amend chapter 24 (solid waste) to raise the fee for an unsecured load from $10 to $50.08; a capital projects fund amendment of $34,920.37 for equipment and installation at the Horace Mann Building playground; the purchase and installation of Civic Arena signage using $49,195.65 in ARPA‑related transfers; a $25,000 structural evaluation of Phil Walsh Stadium; plans and documents for demolition work at the aquatic park lap pool ($23,500); and the purchase of four Sulzer dry‑pit submersible pumps for the Farrant Street pump station and the implant pump station totaling $441,209 from FTC Equipment LLC. The clerk read the full consent list before the council voted; the motion to accept the consent agenda passed on a roll‑call vote recorded as seven ayes.

The council also approved a consultant services agreement with Leslie Schulte for public health emergency response planning ($24,000) and rolled forward several unspent American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to support emergency medical services and additional fire department equipment purchases, as listed during the clerk’s reading.

Separately, council members voted to adopt a proposed amendment to a general‑fund budget ordinance (described in the meeting as bill 26), adjusting line‑item amounts and the projected general‑fund balance. "There are 7 ayes," the clerk recorded after the roll call, and the amendment carried.

The council attached a facility‑use agreement with Savannah School District to an ordinance authorizing use of the Missouri Western State University Thomas Eagleton indoor pool by local school districts and other partners; that motion, moved by Council member Eslinger and seconded by Council member Randolph, likewise passed on a unanimous roll call.

Several other items were read for first reading, including: an ordinance authorizing amendments to the city police pension plan; rolling forward unspent ARPA funds and required city matching for emergency medical services ($2,339.25); transit operating assistance grant acceptance ($196,710.14) via the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission; a transient guest‑tax funded design/build agreement for a bike pump track ($347,395); and a non‑federal reimbursable agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration for construction‑phase services on a new airport traffic control tower ($105,221.27) with a 10% match noted in the reading.

In remarks during the city manager’s report, the manager said National Night Out will be held in Civic Center Park the following evening "at 5:30 and continuing until 8 p.m.," and congratulated Police Officer James Edwards for being recognized by the Missouri Department of Transportation for his enforcement work in 2023, noting the officer was recognized for removing 101 impaired drivers from St. Joseph streets that year.

The council offered condolences to the families of longtime police commander Jim Connors, who was described as a 33‑year commander, and Gary Lefton, described as a 47‑year employee and superintendent of streets and sewers. With no further business or public comment, the presiding official adjourned the meeting.