After a lengthy discussion, the Marthasville Board of Aldermen voted down continuing with a project to build a new RV park and campsite at Wessel Park by a 3-1 vote.

The matter came up for discussion during the board’s June 17 meeting as the city had received bids for the proposed park. The city received four bids: Charrette Creek Excavating LLC, $1.294 million; Demien Construction Company, $1.392 million; KJ Unnerstall Construction, $1.344 million; Lamke Trenching & Excavating, $1.819 million. During the discussion of the bids Leo Meyer said he wanted to make a motion to reject all the bids and stop the project. Meyer said he has been talking with his constituents and they are not interested in the RV park.

Mayor David Lange said he has talked to people who do want the RV park and that he thought it would be a good revenue source for the city. Alderman Gary Dixon then said he didn’t think it would make that much money.

After some more brief discussion Meyer made a formal motion to reject all of the bids and stop further consideration of the project. Instead of asking for a second, the board continued to debate Meyer’s motion without a second being declared. Alderman Nick Meyer said he didn’t know why the city would want to do that until they heard back from Cochran Engineering regarding the project.

David Lange then reminded the board that they had applied for and received a grant in August of 2025 for a Missouri Land and Water Conservation Fund grant in the amount of $375,000.

Alderman Chris DeVore asked what happens if someone doesn’t pay their rental fee and leaves a dilapidated RV at the park. He said he didn’t think the Warren County Sheriff’s Department would offer the city any help.

“In my experience the Warren County Sheriff’s Department does not want to help the city of Marthasville,” DeVore said.

He said the department won't come unless there is a physical altercation at the park.

DeVore said the city should have stopped the project a long time ago.

“We don’t have the infrastructure, we don’t have the right crews, we don’t have enough people to run it and operate it,” he said.

He said the city needs an updated city sewage treatment instead of an RV park.

David Lange challenged Meyer and DeVore asking if they are willing to throw away money already spent for engineering on the project.

Eventually Meyer made his motion again and DeVore seconded the motion. DeVore, Meyer and Dixon voted for the measure and Nick Lange voted in opposition.

Back in August 2025, when they first received notice of the Land and Water Conservation Fund grant, the board discussed what the RV park might look like. 

At the time the project would include about 20 spots for RVs, along with 10 spots for camping, electric hookups, restrooms with showers and a pavilion with a few picnic tables. 

The city had started the application process for the grant over five years ago. During the August 20, 2025 meeting, the board voted 3-1 to go out for bid on the project with Meyer voting against it. At that meeting, Dixon and DeVore also expressed some trepidation at spending that much money, although they were convinced by Nick Lange to go out for bid at that time since the bid packet was already prepared.