The Mexico City Council had a relatively light agenda at its Sept. 22 meeting, approving changes to a number of public works projects. 

Drew Williford, city engineer and public works director, discussed the projects with council. No other items were on the action agenda. 

The meeting featured a speaker during public comments before the council entered into an executive session. Council took no action after the executive session.

During public comments, resident Richard Gold said a contractor arrived on Holt and Agricultural streets Sept. 19 to cut down a tree but didn’t finish the job, causing the tree to lean over the road on Holt, and blocked the entire block from Agricultural to Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. He said the situation affected Holt Street and the area and caused an inconvenience and public safety risk, and he thought the situation could have been handled better.

Williford said later during an interview with the Ledger that it was Green Boulevard rather than Agricultural that was affected, as Agricultural turns into Green at the Liberty Street intersection. The tree was on property on Holt, and the affected area was from Green to Martin Luther King Jr. Someone notified the city that the tree had been leaning more than it had been, and once city officials saw the situation - a storm could have caused a continued split in the tree - they closed Holt Street and spoke to the property owner there about the matter before closing the road. The city worked with Ameren to cut the tree to the trunk line for the portion leaning over the street, and the company left the limbs in place and city crews took care of the limbs on Sept. 22.

“We believe there was no major issue as far as traffic safety once the road closed and the detour was not a problem,” Williford said. “We went ahead and proceeded with that plan.”

Street division crews went to the road to clean up on Sept. 22, and Sept. 23, crews took down the rest of the tree. Williford said he appreciated Ameren’s help, with company crews leaving the trunk of the tree.

Council approved these items,  with each item being partially reimbursable through grants from the Missouri Department of Transportation or Missouri Department of Natural Resources with city funding able to cover the local match for these overages:

• A resolution authorizing the city manager to sign a change order 1 with Louis Company, LLC. for the Pollock Road Bridge Replacement Project. The city has been awarded a grant through the Off-System Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation (BRO) program that is administered by the Missouri Department of Transportation. This change order centers on the addition of some guardrail and other work, with the project being reimbursed through the BRO program having an approximate local match of 12.3%. That change order has a total net change of adding $36,379.84 to the project.
• A resolution authorizing the city manager to sign a change order with Brown & Root Industrial Services LLC. for the Love/Abat Stormwater Improvement Project, which consists of installing more than 5,000 linear feet of storm sewer, 17,000 square yards of resurfacing and 11,000 linear feet of curb and gutter. This project is being reimbursed at a 21% local match, Williford said, but the city has already budgeted for the full grant award amount total, so there’s no net negative to the city because city officials had already planned to spend the entirety of that 21% of that local match. During construction, it was noted that the Curtis, Love and Abat Stormwater Improvement Project did not include fiber reinforcement in the concrete mix design, and this is a standard for projects within the public right of way, but it was not conveyed to MECO Engineering for inclusion in the bid documents, so Brown & Root Industrial Services was asked to develop an estimate that would account for adding fiber reinforcing to this project, the council agenda memo stated, adding that the change order was developed as a result of this request. The net increase of this change order is estimated at $25,470.  
• A resolution authorizing the city  manager to sign a change order with Sam Gaines Construction, Inc. for the East Anderson Street Stormwater Improvement Project, which consists of installing over 960 linear feet of storm sewer, 1,100 square yards of resurfacing and 1,580 linear feet of curb and gutter. “Throughout construction, numerous conflicts with utilities occurred which significantly impacted the area of pavement restoration required for the project,” the agenda memo stated. “Additional sidewalk removal and replacement was also a significant contributor to overages. This removal and replacement primarily focused on addressing an unforeseen drainage issue along the northern end of the project. This change order will be the final change order for this project and bring all estimated quantities in-line with measured quantities at a net increase of $42,983.20.”  
• A resolution authorizing the city manager to sign a change order with TB Dozing & Excavation LLC. for the Pollock Road Culvert Replacement Project. This project consists of removal of a weight limited culvert located along Pollock Road, between Grand and Crestview. After construction, city staff identified a rise in the road profile over the culvert that appeared to be higher than average when compared to others throughout the city. City officials approached TB Dozing & Excavation with a request to remove and replace pavement at a lower elevation and more gradual slope. An estimate of $43,307 has been received for this work.     
• A resolution authorizing the city manager to sign an amendment with MECO Engineering Inc. for additional construction administration and inspection services on the Love/Abat Stormwater Improvement Project. This project - the Curtis, Love and Abat Stormwater Improvement Project - is the largest of the city’s stormwater improvement projects and requires substantial oversight, the council agenda memo stated, and engineering officials have approached MECO with a request for additional construction administration and inspection services on this project. MECO Engineering has provided Amendment 1 at a net increased cost of $26,000.