Bethany Council Approves Funding For Dog Kennel Cleaning And Dog Adoption Services
Bethany’s Board of Aldermen approved the money for cleaning of the dog pound, dog adoption services, and fencing for the kennel area during their first November meeting on Monday night. On a 3-0 vote, Bethany’s council approved a bid of $1,700 per month to clean the facility and provide dog adoption services. The bid was the only bid received by the city. Aldermen Terry Osmon, Ron Osmon, and Dan Robertson were present for the vote. Councilman Randy Mann was absent from the meeting. The bid for fencing was approved for Far West Fencing in the amount of $2,768. The fencing will be done by the end of the year. Other costs to upgrade the facility will be in the budget for the new fiscal year. They include purchases of a sink and shelving. Aldermen Terry Osborn offered to purchase the hot water heater that is also part of the upgrade package.
City Administrator Jacob Taylor announced that the city will not plan on a street project for 2024. He stated that initial street bonds are still being paid off and funding will not allow for a large scale project. There will be plans for a street project in 2025. The city will likely plan on larger scale street projects every other year.
Council members acknowledged the PeopleService notification of their plans to increase their service contract with the city by 3.7 percent next year. Their contract with the city allows for increases in their compensation based on changes in the Consumer Price Index each year.
In the budget timeline discussion, Administrator Taylor noted that a sewer bill increase is likely in store for City of Bethany customers for the next year. He stated that the increase is needed to finance the line on Beekman Street. That projected cost is nearly $1 million. The sewer bill for City of Bethany residents is calculated currently as a percentage of a customer’s water bill. The current sewer rate is 50 percent of the water bill. The next rate will likely be 75 percent of the water bill. Construction for that project will begin next year and will be split over a 4-year period.
The City of Bethany has received notification from the Missouri Department of Transportation that their TAP project application in a second cycle of funding has been approved. It will construct a sidewalk from Bulldog Avenue to Bethany Memorial Park. While the funding has been approved, the construction will likely not take place until 2025.
The move of the Bethany Depot is still planned for November 30th.
The Bethany Christmas Lighting Contest will be held again this year. Prizes will be awarded for first, second, and third place. Those residents wishing to participate need to notify city hall by December 8th. Judging will take place December 11th through the 15th.
