St. Joseph City Council approves major projects, new City Clerk sworn in

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- The St. Joseph City Council voted on several bills, including a $1.65M police software, landfill construction and to finish Phase 3 of the tower work at Rosecrans Memorial Airport.

The meeting started with Kaycee Garton being sworn in as the new City Clerk. This comes after Paula Heyde retired from the position after serving 40 years.

Former Battalion Chief David Richey also received a Key to the City for his contribution to the fire department.

The council approved a bill to update the Police Tax Fund budget and to sign a contract with TBL Systems, Inc. to purchase new police software. The new police software will cost $1.65 millon.

The new computer system will support 911 call handling, officer dispatch, report writing, jail operations, court interface, digital evidence management and state and federal data reporting requirements.

Brad Kerns, captain of administration at the St. Joseph Police Department, said the new system will come with new technology.

“There’s a lot more features, such as mobile aiding dispatch, and it will help the communication center map out some locations easier. GPS so we can respond quicker to calls for service,” he said.

Kerns said the new system will not have any additional cost to the taxpayers.

“That’s one of the things that we really studied and made sure we were getting a system that met our needs, but was no additional cost. That’s a huge benefit for the community and the City of St. Joseph,” Kerns said.

This new system will also replace the aging and fragmented systems the department is currently using. 

Council also voted on adjusting its budget and hiring HDR Engineering, Inc. to design and oversee construction work for Cell 9 at the City’s Sanitary Landfill. 

The new design will shape and level the ground, manage stormwater flow and improve customer and facility roads. The project supports St. Joseph’s strategic goal of creating a clean and vibrant city.

An extra payment of $108,584 was approved for E.L. Crawford Construction Inc. to finish work on Phase 3 of the Rosecrans Memorial Aviation Complex, specifically the Air Traffic Control Tower.

Work on the tower includes moving an existing monument, rearranging data and equipment racks, making electrical grounding improvements, installing a water pressure reducer and adding tint to stairwell windows.

The completion of the project will be funded by existing grants.

Due to Presidents' Day, the next City Council meeting will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 17