Parking Lot Bids Opened.

Bids for the parking lot south of the police station were reviewed at the Public Works Committee meeting Tuesday afternoon. Five companies submitted bids, and all bids were above the $30,000 budgeted for the project.

Base bids ranged from $56,063 to $84,500. These bids included the 6" base rock, sidewalks on the south and east sides of the lot, curbing, dumpster enclosure, ramp and a retaining wall on the west side of the parking lot. Each company also submitted two additional bids for other work: one for lighting and one for asphalt paving and parking bumpers.

Bids to install three 12' street lights similar to those on the Square’s mall sidewalk ranged from $7,215 to $9,950. Bids for paving and bumper blocks ranged from $8,979 to $9,900.

The Engineering Department recommended accepting only the low base bid of $56,063 from Dalton Killinger of Joplin. Assistant to the City Engineer Joe Butler explained that the paving and parking bumpers could be obtained more economically through the City asphalt paving contract and the Street Department at a cost near $8,000.

According to Butler, the large discrepancy between the budgeted amount and the bids is due in part to the time which lapsed between budgeting and bidding the project and also to the fact that originally the project did not include features such as the sidewalks and the dumpster enclosure.

Members of the Committee suggested looking for less expensive lighting options.

"There are three telephone poles on the south side of the street," said Committee member Bill Johnson. "You could probably use existing poles and electricity and get as much safety--it would not be as aesthetically pleasing."

"I know I’m always preaching green space and aesthetics," said Committee member Jackie Boyer, "but I think in this instance, to light a parking lot, we can do it for safety....The poles are going to be there anyway, and if we could save the City some money, we should."

Engineering agreed to check with CW&EP about the feasibility of placing flood lights directed toward the parking lot on existing poles.

Discussion then turned to financing the project.

Police Chief Ed Ellefsen has $3,000 available in funds for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) projects which can go toward the cost of the ramp since it is required by ADA.

Other funds needed above the budgeted amount would come from reserves. Since the project may run into the next fiscal year, Johnson suggested that the full amount of the project be requested in the council bill authorizing the project and the $30,000 budgeted this year not be spent. According to Johnson, this would simplify the bookkeeping on the project.

The Committee voted to recommend the low base bid and to request full funding of the project, approximately $61,000, in the necessary council bill.

Just Jake Talkin'
Mornin',

Now that the election is over, the real excitement comes for the newly elected Council members and Mayor. Budget sessions are scheduled to begin soon and the pile of information that goes with it. A good dose of meetin’s has been the order of the day in the past few years.

There is also the matter of the Mayor’s appointments to the various committees. The most obvious and possibly demandin’ vacancy to be filled is that of Budget/Ways and Means Committee Chair. Bill Johnson has held that position for several years, but with his opting to not to run for reelection, that spot will be an interestin’ consideration.

Assignments for the committees usually come soon after the swearin’ portion of the installation of new members Council meetin.’

This year there seems ta be a likelihood of the City Administrator takin’ a larger role in the budget process. It’s time ta hit the floor runnin’.

This is some fact, but mostly, Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Metcalf Auto Supply

Click and Clack Talk Cars

Dear Tom and Ray:

I have a question about my husband's 1995 Ford Ranger. The Ranger has a standard transmission and a four-cylinder engine. When we put the Ranger into overdrive, the rpm goes down but the engine loses power. In order to climb a small hill, we must downshift to forth gear. Is this normal? My old five-speed Honda wasn't like that. Can you explain this to me?- Denise

Ray: It's absolutely normal, Denise. Especially when you have an engine that is - in purely technical lingo - a real dog.

Tom: My brother doesn't mean that in a bad way, Denise. He just means that this particular four-cylinder engine is a little on the small side for this particular truck.

Ray: It's also possible that it's geared differently from the Honda, and the Ranger's fifth gear is "taller" meaning it slows the engine more to conserve fuel at the expense of power.

Tom: Whatever the combination of reason, when you get to a hill, you need the added mechanical advantage of a lower gear to get up it. And there's nothing wrong with that. That's why they give you five different gears to choose from.

Ray: Your Honda, on the other hand, may have had a similarly sized engine, but it probably weighed 1,000 pounds less! That gave it a higher horsepower-to-weight ratio (more horsepower for every pound of car the engine was pushing).

Tom: So not to worry, Denise. This is exactly what overdrive is supposed to do. It's supposed to reduce the engine speed (and save gas) when you're cruising on the highway and don't need as much power.

Ray: And also give those six-cylinder Ranger owners a chance to pass you on hills and feel good about the extra money they blew on their bigger engines.

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