Bethany Council Approves Engineering Work For Israel Property

Bethany’s Board of Aldermen approved the tax levy for the year and engineering work for the Israel Property Development during their second August meeting of the year on Wednesday.

Bethany’s levy will be $0.86 per hundred dollars of assessed valuation. The levy includes $0.55 in the General Fund and $0.31 in the Road Fund.

Shannon Howe with Howe Engineering gave the scope of the engineering work that would be done for the trail section of the Israel Property. The engineering work include mapping the new trails in the north end of the property and timber trails using drone technology equipped with GPS. He says the work will include the necessary work needed to meet ADA and width requirements. Administrator Jake Taylor says that work could greatly improve the city’s chances to receive another TAP grant that would be used for sidewalks for the Israel Property. The council approved $30,000 to Howe Engineering for the work. The city will use some of the $69,000 from this year’s budget that will not be used for any matches that would have gone toward a TAP project this year. The Missouri Department of Transportation did not select the City of Bethany’s project application this year.

Administrator Taylor also provided some costs for the relocation of gas and water lines on the northwest corner of the Israel Property. That location has been selected as the new location for the Train Depot if the city decides to spend the money to move the depot. The gas and water line relocations will cost about $35,000. There will be little need for dirt work that location for the depot relocation. Parks and Recreation Board President Patrick Miller talked about potential dirt work previously that may be considered for future ball field sites. That dirt work would be further south of the depot relocation site. The city will review the Requests for Proposal back in September to review that costs that are anticipated for the actual move of the Train Depot.

Two job descriptions were provided to the council for review for the Bethany Gas Superintendent and the Gas Operator positions.

An update was given on the Salt-Sand Structure.

The EV Charging Station project is continuing. A walk through will be done with the contractor when that project is nearing completion.

The council agreed for a city policy that will require city employees to receive their paychecks through Direct Deposit at the session.