The City of Mexico came in under budget on multiple agenda items at the April 13 city council meeting.

The first item of new business that night was the approval of a compensation study as part of the city’s ongoing effort to maintain a competitive pay and benefit plan.The City of Mexico City Council voted to proceed with McGrath Human Resources for a wage and benefit compensation study at the April 13 meeting.

“The study has an overall objective of keeping the city’s total compensation plan market competitive,” Vicki Duenke, City of Mexico finance director, said.

According to Duenke, the city’s last wage and benefit compensation study was done in January 2018 and there was $33,400 budgeted this year for the project. And while McGrath Human Resources’ bid for $31,500 came in under budget, Haag had other concerns — he wanted to make sure the Mexico Public Safety Department would be compensated fairly.

“Last time we did some comparable stuff, but it was more for a police force, whereas our public safety does more than just police," Haag said. “We were right there with another city that paid the same, or maybe more, and all they were was a police force, where our people do fire and everything else.”

Duenke assured Haag and the rest of the city council members that she met with Victoria McGrath, owner of McGrath Human Resources, and voiced those same concerns.

“I made sure that she realized that we were that blended public safety setup,” Duenke said. “We’re hopeful that we’ll get some good, quality feedback and know where we’re going from here.”

The compensation study will include a review of the city’s existing pay and benefit plan, a job audit and analysis, and a final report that will include any recommended changes to salaries as well as a cost analysis and plan to implement the recommendations.

City Hall project continues

Following the formal selection of the former Audrain Medical Cancer Center as the future location of Mexico City Hall and public safety facilities at the March 23 city council meeting, the approval of a Quitclaim Deed with Audrain County and Task Order 3 with Navigate Building Solutions LLC appeared back on the docket at the April 17 meeting.

According to Slagle, the Quitclaim Deed conveys the Cancer Center real estate including block 2 of the Jefferies Street addition and 60-foot-wide tract of land for the future extension of Hord Street.

“The transfer does require that construction be completed no later than five years from this year,” Slagle said.

Following the approval of the Quitclaim Deed, council members turned their attention to Task Order 3.

The original proposal of Task Order 3 was rejected at the March 9 meeting because it tied both the task order and selection of the cancer center site together. Now that the council has made the site official, they voted to move forward with Navigate Building Solutions LLC for owner representative services through the design, building and construction phases for the Cancer Center renovation.

“Work will include renovating the lower level of the former Cancer Center to function as a new city hall and renovation of the upper level to function as a police and fire station,” Slagle said. “This project also includes the addition and construction of a new fire apparatus bay as well as a sally port for the public safety department.”

The total cost of Task Order 3 is $366,000 and the city budgeted $500,000, which Slagle said will leave sufficient funds to cover other costs associated with the project. He also clarified that the payment is not due up front and will be paid out as services are rendered.

Navigate Building Solutions LLC provided the following cost breakdown:

• Project Design and Bidding Services: $152,100.00
• Construction and Post Construction Services: $213,900.00

MPSD patrol cars

The 2025-36 budget includes $90,000 for the purchase of two patrol vehicles for the Mexico Public Safety Department.

According to MPSD Chief Brice Mesko, public safety reported a number of mechanical and servicing issues with the 2022 and 2023 Dodge Durango patrol cars.

“It was pulling them out of service for extended periods of time,” he said.

As a result, MPSD has been getting those vehicles serviced in Troy at Behlmann Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, which did result in less downtime, but the travel time was an issue.

Mesko recommended the council approve the purchase of two 2026 Ford Explorers from Joe Machens Ford in Columbia for $46,323 each with a $21,000 trade-in value totaling $71,646. MPSD will be trading in a 2020 Dodge Durango with approximately 95,032 miles and a 2022 Dodge Durango with approximately 102,123 miles – both of which are still in use.

“The Ford warranty and specialty repairs will be completed in Columbia at Joe Machens, which is about 30 minutes closer than Troy one way, so that will help reduce on our travel time,” Mesko said.

City Council members unanimously approved the purchase.