The city of Truesdale is currently accepting bids for a project to expand and renovate city hall to provide more space for the police department and storage.

Bids must be received by 3 p.m. on Thursday, July 15. The bids will be read aloud at city hall at 3:15 p.m., but a contract likely won’t be awarded until a special meeting is held on Wednesday, July 21, city officials said.

The city is considering constructing a 34-foot, 6-inch by 30-foot, 6-inch addition (1,258 square feet) on the west side of the existing structure.

City Clerk Mary Lou Rainwater said a few bid specifications have been given out to contractors so far. Bid packages are available at city hall, located at 109 Pinckney Street or at Cochran Engineering’s office in Union.

“Things are happening,” she said. “We will see how the bids go. The contractor that was in said they are still looking for work and we should get good bids. That was a positive thing to hear.”

The city has $250,000 budgeted for the project.

Estimates provided by Cochran Engineering had a 1,035-square-foot addition costing $210,700.

The current city hall will be renovated to include separate evidence and interview rooms and relocation of the public restrooms. The chamber area will remain in the same location.

The proposed addition includes separate offices for the city clerk, treasurer and mayor along with a break room and storage room. Space for a receptionist also will be provided.

Sidewalk Project May Be Delayed

City officials are concerned that a delay in engineering may push a sidewalk improvement project near the start of the 2010-2011 school year, a situation they wanted to avoid.

Mayor Murray Bruer said engineering is running about three to four weeks behind and a three-week bid process will likely postpone the project’s start to early August.

The first day of classes is Aug. 19 for the Warren County R-III School District and Aug. 24 for Holy Rosary School.

The $158,738.60 project to fix and build sidewalks along Highway M and streets leading to Rebecca Boone Elementary and Holy Rosary is being funded entirely by the Safe Routes to Schools grant administered by the Missouri Highway Transportation Commission. Flashing lights also will be mounted on Highway M to alert motorists of an approaching school — or pedestrian — crossing.

When the city received the grant, officials hoped the work would have been performed in June so school traffic would not be affected.

The city is hoping to tie in the project with plans to widen and upgrade West Street. Along with improving storm drainage, a widened street would improve access for buses leaving and entering the R-III bus garage located at the intersection of West and South streets.

Officials said they may need to talk with the district officials to have the buses rerouted if the project is not completed by the start of the school year.

In Other Action

• The city raised the water deposit fee by $25 for both residential and commercial customers, amending the ordinance by a 3-0 vote. The residential deposit fee will now be $125, while the deposit is $175 for commercial properties.

The amount will be refunded to the customer if there are any funds left over at the time of the final billing.

• Aldermen agreed to hire Charles E. Montgomery to audit the city for the 2009-2010 fiscal year ending June 30. The fee will not exceed $2,000, according to city officials.

• The board voted 3-0 to approve a business license for David Molinari Construction, LLC.