Members of the Houston City Council on Monday approved the purchase of a new police car and additional funding for improvements at the Houston Memorial Airport.
The Houston Police Department vehicle would replace one with significant mechanical issues. The city will pay $27,398 for a new cruiser and opt not to buy a previously budgeted car for the currently empty economic development office. Additionally, the council will expend about $74,000 more for a three-unit box hangar and a taxiway. The outlay is paid primarily by FAA funds administered by MoDOT.
Tona Bowen, city administrator, said it may be possible to gain additional funding so the city’s expenditure isn’t as high.
The apparent low bid went to Cary Stewart Construction at West Plains at a cost of $628,162. The grant funding will pay about 90 percent of the cost. The bid hasn’t been formally approved.
In other matters, members:
—Set the city’s 2017 levy unchanged from last year, .3202 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.
—Voted 5-1 (Honeycutt no) not to donate $500 to a recent city-led golf tournament to aid the course. The council recently decided it would no longer support donations to organizations.
—Will extend its trash refuse contract by one year with WCA. As part of the extension, the firm agreed to increase the city’s administrative fee from the current 5 percent to 10 percent of the invoice.
—Discussed splitting up its municipal court sessions into two segments — One date to monitor the progress of cases and payments and a second time to hear cases. The discussion came following reports of lengthy monthly sessions that often run from 3 to 9 p.m. and are difficult for those involved because of the length.
—Heard Bowen update the council on her activities, including developing uniform job descriptions, work to include the finance committee and managers in development of the 2018 budget, an updated FEMA conference call on damage reported in the city from spring floods and city finances, which showed revenue flat and expenditures even to up only slightly.