Board briefed on municipal services complex RFP, Rock Creek award and a boil-order tabletop ahead of World Cup events

Staff updated the Public Utility Advisory Board on multiple municipal services items April 23, including a facilities RFP, a wastewater award, and emergency-preparedness exercises tied to large upcoming events.

The architecture RFP for the municipal services operations complex at the Massman site closes the following day, staff said; the consolidated facility is intended to house street operations, a central garage, water distribution and sanitary collections operations, and stormwater functions. Staff estimated construction completion around 2028–2029 and said the city will likely bond for the project.

The Rock Creek wastewater treatment plant was recognized at the Missouri Water Environment Association Joint Conference (with the state AWWA chapter) for “biosolids handling of the year” for a large facility, staff said, noting the award reflects the plant’s efficiency and the production of a Class A product.

Les Vaught Rey and other staff described a tabletop exercise that simulated escalation from a boil advisory to a boil order, involving public health, emergency management, communications and technology teams. Les said the exercise tested communications, multilingual outreach planning for FIFA events and the processes to issue and later rescind an order, and that about 25 people participated. “We did the whole process… what do we do? And so, we work through just the steps that they would have to go through if they had to issue a boil order all the way up to issuing it and then rescinding it,” Les said.

Staff said the Independence Center and the downtown bus depot will be used as pickup/drop-off points during World Cup fan festival activities and that the exercise helped refine those logistics. No formal votes were taken; staff will return with contract and design updates as the RFP process advances.