Board of Aldermen meeting recap

​On Monday, June 26, the City of Grain Valley Board of Aldermen met for their regularly scheduled meeting at City Hall. The meeting included four new resolutions, and two ordinances.
 
There were no proclamations, no citizens who came forward to address the board for public comment, no previous business, and no new business in the first part of the meeting.
 
Butch Beeman with Troutt Beeman & Co. P.C. presented an overview of the recently completed City audit, and informed the board that the city is, “in a very sound financial position.”
 
Four resolutions were passed Monday evening, the first authorizes the city administrator to complete an agreement with Crawford, Murphy and Tilly, Inc. for the design of a new 1.25-million-gallon elevated water tank. This agreement would cost $257,000 for the design of the elevated water tank. This resolution passed unanimously.
 
The second resolution, also passing unanimously, approves the 2024-2028 City of Grain Valley Capital Improvements Plan. City Engineer Dick Tuttle went over some key points and prices of the plan with the board, noting some projects are pending funding.
 
The final resolutions addressed the allocation of funds from the American Recovery Plan Act(ARPA) to upgrade the Police Report Management System (RMS). Grain Valley Chief of Police, Ed Turner, said that police departments around the region are moving to a new RMS, called Central Square. Chief Turner also said that moving to this system would increase the police department’s ability to communicate with other local law enforcement agencies, as well as increase their ability to serve the Grain Valley community by having a better understanding of what the community’s needs are. The board voted unanimously to amend the 2023 budget to allocate ARPA funds to upgrade the police department’s RMS, and authorized the city administrator to enter into an agreement with Central Square to upgrade the department’s RMS.
 
Under ordinances, the board approved the first reading of an ordinance to approve the final development plan for Creekside Village 4th Plat. This ordinance was unanimously approved and will be brought back for a second reading at the next regularly scheduled meeting.
 
During staff reports, Finance Director Steven Craig thanked the staff that assisted during the audit process. He said that it’s a very time-consuming process and the city had a very good year.
 
Community Development Director Mark Trosen stated that last week the city successfully held their annual Public Works Event and recognized the Public Works staff and the other departments that helped out with that event.
 
City Administrator Ken Murphy shared that the Workplace Improvement Committee is putting together a staff appreciation lunch on Friday, June 30, therefore, City Hall will be closed from 12-2 that afternoon to allow the staff to take part.
 
Murphy also noted that he and Chief Turner are in talks with FOP to modify the city’s compensation plan for officers and sergeants. The city currently uses a 17-step compensation plan. If modified, the new plan would be 14 steps, raising the starting pay for an officer by three steps. Murphy said that hopefully this new plan would help not only with recruitment of officers, but also retention of current staff. A motion was requested to implement the plan, which was made and unanimously approved.  
 
Mayor Mike Todd recognized Murphy’s 17-year anniversary working for the City of Grain Valley and thanked him for his service.
 
Todd finished his report by saying that a new video is coming out shortly from the city as a part of their ongoing community outreach efforts. The video is a parody of a popular YouTube series where guests eat hot chicken wings while doing an interview. The city’s video includes Mayor Todd and various employees in the Public Works Department. According to Todd, this is “the most highly anticipated video Grain Valley has ever made.”
 
The next regularly scheduled meeting will take place at City Hall on Monday, July 10 at 7:00pm.