Firefighter Burton Promoted to Driver-Operator

Monday night's City Council meeting led off with a presentation to Sedalia Firefighter Bradley Burton, who recently earned his driver's badge and helmet shield.

Sedalia Fire Chief Matt Irwin said that Burton began his service with the SFD in May of 2018 for a total so far of four years, two months.

“In those four years, he has done a lot of things. He earned an associate's degree from State Fair Community College. He's a Firefighter 1 and II and also an EMT. He is also a rope rescue technician,” Chief Irwin said.

He also earned several certifications during his four years with the department.
”I'm very proud of Bradley. I'm very proud of the work he's put in, all the education that he's gotten. It was a very tight driver-operator's program,” Irwin said, adding that Burton came in first out of seven students in the program.

Firefighter Burton was pinned by his girlfriend Lexi. Several family members and fellow firefighters were also in attendance for the pinning Monday night.

Mayor Pro Tem Tina Boggess presided over Monday night's 22-minute meeting in Mayor Dawson's absence. Boggess also currently serves as vice chair of the Public Works Committee. Absent from Monday night's meeting were Second Ward Councilman Chris Marshall and Fourth Ward Councilwoman Rhiannon Foster.

Under Finance and Administration, IMA Financial Group was awarded a bid to be the City of Sedalia's Insurance Broker.

It was suggested by staff that request for proposals should be sent out to select the best available consultants to assist with employee benefits packages.

Nine proposals were received out of 11 sent out. Those nine were whittled down to three and a six-member review committee conducted interviews to make the final choice. The committee said the decision was a difficult one, but IMA stood out from the others due to their use of actuarial data, and their ability to calculate what potential changes in insurance packages would look like.

An increase in funding for the Whiteman Area Leadership Council (WALC) was approved by the Sedalia City Council, going from $3,000 to $5,000 per year.

Under Public Works, a resolution authorizing an increase in budgeted expenditures for 2022-23 for the Central Regional and Pelham Drive Lift Station upgrade projects was approved by Council.

The extra cost involved rock excavation that was way more than expected.

In addition higher costs for hiring flagmen working in the railroad right of way was encountered.

Change Order #1 was an extra $15,768.45 for rock excavation and Change Order #2 was an extra $3,425 for flaggers.

The ordinance passed involved “irrevocable consent.”

Three annexations with utility service were approved by Council Monday night, including Prairie Hollow Development Company, LLC (located between 32nd and Sacajawaea), Edward Petrashishin, 3370 Cedar Springs Street (Covered Bridge Estates), and Herman S. and Debra Collier, 2245 West Country Drive.

Prairie Hollow is a housing development project that is expected to feature single-family housing. Council already approved a plan to allocate funds to extend the necessary infrastructure to the area.

Council then approved a CDBG grant agreement to improve sidewalks in the City.

The Community Development Block Grant will provide $500,000, while the City will provide matching funds, for a total of $1 million for sidewalk rehabilitation and replacement.

A code change was then adopted, concerning regulations of excavations within public rights-of-way.

Council then approved a liquor license renewal for Doug Benitz dba Liberty Center Association for the Arts, 111 W. 5th, for liquor by the drink, $450.

Under Good and Welfare, Council heard from two community members.

Renee Vance questioned the Council about providing security for the Missouri State Fair opening day parade, which typically lines up along State Fair Boulevard before entering the fairgrounds about an hour later. Vance said she was concerned about recent mass shootings such as the one that occurred in Highland Park, Illinois on the Fourth of July.

Estelle Frazier approached the Council about a traffic safety issue at Main and Moniteau. She said there were several unlicensed vehicles near the intersection, especially the northeast corner, making it hard to see oncoming traffic when pulling out onto Main from Moniteau. "It's a real concern," Frazier told the Council.

Council members told both women they would look into the situation and get back to them.