A $300,000 plan to renovate parts of City Hall’s first floor as offices for the city’s neighborhood improvement division and public safety team will be outlined at Monday night’s City Council meeting.
A cost breakdown in city documents regarding the proposal lists the need to add or upgrade security cameras to the spaces, install computer wiring and electrical systems, office furniture and equipment, carpet, audiovisual equipment and conference room furniture.
The locations involved are the northwest corner of the first floor and the mezzanine where the Thomas Hart Benton study and other documents related to the acquisition of the Benton mural titled “Joplin at the Turn of the Century” have been housed. Those items would be moved to another location on the main floor, according to city documents.
A glass wall and doors would be installed to close off the mezzanine at the top of the first floor’s grand staircase.
Payment for the work would come from use tax revenue that is designated to fund the action plans.
Information about the funds to be available from federal grants related to the pandemic and infrastructure projects will be given detailing the uses that are eligible for those funds.
The council also will hear a semiannual report from the Capital Improvement and Public Safety Sales Tax Oversight Committee on proceeds of the taxes and the status of projects that are to be completed with those revenues.
A public hearing is scheduled on a site plan proposal to build a Dollar General store on Zora Street approximately 500 feet west of the intersection of St. Louis Avenue. The developer has met with city staff but is awaiting site plan approval before submitting plans for a building permit, according to agenda documents.
City staff reported thatthe proposed site plan meets all requirements under the zoning code, including the minimums and setbacks for parking, landscaping, access management, and property line setbacks.
However, several residents of the area including the Northbrook subdivision spoke against the proposal at a recent meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission.
The council will be asked to advance on first reading a measure to award a contract for work to assist city staff with identifying and applying for federal grants under the CARES, ARPA and Infrastructure programs. The staff recommends a contract with Guidehouse for the work at a cost of up to $375,000. City documents show that five companies presented proposals and a staff committee voted in favor of the Guidehouse proposal.
Authorization also is sought for a reorganization of the city’s human resources staff and a contract for a project at one of the city’s wastewater plants.
