New city department, landfill project and $1.6 million for police upgrades on City Council agenda

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- Significant upgrades in City Hall processes and public safety software could be approved at Monday's City Council meeting.

Councilmembers will see an agenda that includes a $1.6 million Police Sales Tax-funded agreement to modernize and integrate key public safety-focused software for the police department, including a computer-aided dispatch system, records management system, jail management system, electronic citation and digital information management system.

If approved, the contract with TBL Systems, Inc. will provide a fully integrated public safety software suite that allows for data sharing between dispatch, patrol and other emergency services, a boost to 911 call handling, officer dispatch, report writing, jail operations, court interface and digital evidence management.

Councilmembers will also consider an ordinance to create a new General Services Department to coordinate, oversee and manage key municipal functions.

The new department is designed to bring together responsibilities from various departments into one area to streamline processes like capital project management, engineering, procurement/contracting, fleet operations, facilities and building maintenance and risk management.

Monday's agenda also includes a $280,000 work order with HDR Engineering to oversee and facilitate a key phase of design and construction work for development of the new landfill cell 9.

The scope of the project includes site grading, soil stockpiling, terrace construction for stormwater diversion; installation of a recompacted clay liner and a flexible membrane liner and construction of an in-cell leachate collection system and groundwater control system, among other specifications.

HDR will also provide daily and weekly observation reports, reviews of site conditions, and the documentation of ongoing activities and any required corrective actions.

Other bills on City Council agenda:

• Change order no. 3 with E.L. Crawford Construction Inc. in the amount of $108,584 for additional work necessary to complete building construction for the aviation complex project at Rosecrans Memorial Airport.
  
• Purchase of two new Chevrolet Silverado 2500 LT Crew Cab pickup trucks in the amount of $106,276 utilizing Parks Sales Tax funds and a new Chevrolet Express 3500 passenger van from Reed Chevrolet in the total amount of $48,482 utilizing Marijuana Tax funds for the Park Maintenance Division.
  
• Submission of a "Building Communities for Better Health" grant application with the Missouri department of Health and Senior Services in an amount not to exceed $90,000 to support activities aimed at reducing barriers and promoting a healthier community.
  
• Submission of a non-motorized safety support program grant application with the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission under which the MHTC will provide funding in an amount not to exceed $10,000 for the purchase of signage for the safe across program.