Jackson aldermen talk splash pad, pedestrian safety project at Monday meeting

The Jackson mayor and Board of Aldermen held a packed regular meeting and study session Monday, Dec. 2. Their agenda focused on plans for future meetings and passing ordinances discussed at previous ones.

Splash pad bids

Jason Lipe, the city’s parks and recreation director, presented to the board about bid tabulation to remove the Jackson Municipal Pool’s kiddie pool and replace it with a new splash pad. He received four bids for the project, with the lowest bid coming from Zoellner Construction of Perryville at $383,795.

Lipe said a splash pad could have a longer than typical season, pushing the pool’s use from Memorial Day to August well into October.

“I think we need to do it. I think it would be really good for the area. ... We’ve been talking about a splash pad for a long time and it’s not getting any cheaper,” Alderwoman Katy Liley said.

Jackson Mayor Dwain Hahs pointed out how, while still more than $130,000 over what the city had allotted for construction, the Zoellner Construction offer was still cheaper than the other bids. They ranged from $475,000 to $608,500.

SafeAcross program

Janet Sanders, Jackson’s Public Works director, discussed a license agreement for the SafeAcross pedestrian awareness campaign she had presented to the board in August. As the program’s symbols are property of the City of Springfield, Jackson must enter into a three-year license agreement to use them.

To participate in the program the city has to upgrade pedestrian crossing signs and install new ones. Sanders estimated the program would cost around $12,500, $7,500 of which could be reimbursed by funding from the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT).

“MoDOT does have the money available. We are the first city other than Springfield to implement this program so we get to cherry-pick quite a bit of the available money on this one,” Sanders said.

Approval for the SafeAcross program would need to be voted on at the next mayor and Board of Aldermen meeting, she added. If approved, the program would start in 2025.

Circuit upgrade

Don Schuette, electric utilities director for the city, received five bids for a 15-kilovolt electric distribution circuit upgrade. These ranged from $577,864.86 to around $973,188.62, and he said he had estimated the project would cost some $800,000, so he was pleased with the numbers of the lower bids.

The chosen recommendation for the aldermen would be the low bid from MDR Construction Inc. of Columbia.

Landfill plans

Jackson’s administrative services director Rodney Bollinger presented the board with a proposed post-closure assessment for the city’s landfill at 481 Mica Lane. The landfill’s 30-year post-closure period ends Nov. 1, 2026, and an engineering firm will need to be hired to examine future use for the land before that date.

Bollinger provided a $37,500 engineering services proposal from Burns & McDonnell of Kansas City be approved at the Monday, Dec. 16, mayor and Board of Aldermen meeting.

Other business

The Board of Aldermen approved numerous fees, contracts and ordinances during Monday’s meeting.

They raised an annual fee to the Upton Jackson Revitalization Organization to $35,000 for a two-year term starting Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, relative to adding staff and expanding activities.

They also accepted a donation from the Jackson Area Organized Soccer Association for $37,000 to improve soccer park fencing and $74,100 from Jackson Street Hockey to construct a concrete street hockey rink.

The aldermen approved ordinances amending the handicapped parking schedule and designations on North Missouri Street. They approved a task order authorization of $44,905.47 to Bacon Farmer Workman Engineering of Paducah, Kentucky, for engineering services on the East Main Street sidewalk.