April 17.2001

The City Council met in special session on Monday evening, April 16,2001 at 7:00 p.m., with Mayor Harold L. Ludwig presiding and the following Council members present: Lowe, Rossiter, Griesbaum, Martin, Sherwood and Wiewel. Mayor Ludwig called the meeting to order.

Mayor Ludwig turned the floor over to Mark Bross and JeffConte from Klingner Associate. Bross stated they have been working on a flow projection using the current2000 census numbers. With the 1990 data it showed 518 residential homes, with 452 occupied and 66 vacant. Discussion was held on the current plant. According to Bross the current plant hydraulic is able to handle the Casino, but organic with the DOB it is incapable. Bross stated they are working on three areas that the Council can consider. The first would be to rehabilitate the current plant. This would be a quick fix of adding tankage and aeration at the cost around $500,000. With adding the tank it would allow the leachate from BFI to be added to the plant when there is not a large demand. With this solution DNR would not loan money to this project, because it would not last 20 years. The next solution would be to go with a aerated lagoon. The cost is not high and cost less for operator and maintenance. A lower license is required by the operators. Jeff Conte stated an aeration lagoon is cost effective for a town the size of LaGrange. Conte stated he had drawn up a scale of 4 cycle lagoon that would be 10' deep and would take a total of 2 acres. Griesbaum asked if the lagoon turned over. Conte stated no since there would be floating aerator keeping oxygen in the lagoons. The major expense to this operation is electrical on the blowers keeping the aerators moving. Bross stated DNR would loan money on this type of project. Discussion was held regarding location. According to Bross and Conte the lagoons could be placed about anywhere in or out of the City, and use the existing location as a lift station. Conte stated the best location would be on the south east end of town. Martin asked if there were restrictions on lagoon if they have to be out of the flood plain. Conte stated no because the burms could be built taller and levies put in place. The only problem could be having to install bigger pumps at the lift station. Mayor Ludwig asked if more than one lift station would be needed. Bross stated using the existing site as the lift station, would be more then adequate. Bross stated the last solution would be to build a new mechanical plant. This would cost around 1.6 million to build, more land, more maintenance. Bross stated a aerated lagoon is more economical for the City. Mayor Ludwig asked would it be easier to add onto a lagoon. Bross stated yes. Conte stated the scale he had drawn up was probably bigger then what was needed. Bross stated right now they just needed the Council input on which direction they needed to go with. Rossiter asked if a lagoon would be covered by a grant. Bross stated yes. Rossiter asked how often did a lagoon need to be cleaned. New London has not had to do anything with their lagoon since 1969. Conte stated possible 15 to 20 years the cells one at a time would have to be drained. Wiewel stated if the City went with a lagoon what is the time frame to be up and running. Bross and Conte both stated a year to a year and a half. Martin asked if the City, with the existing plant had our hands tied if a new business wanted to come to town. Bross stated no, but the City could install the tank, they had spoke about early to help with the holding and let it be released into the plant at a slow time. Sherwood asked about the current plant and lagoon. Bross stated he would not recommend keeping the plant in operations once a lagoon was built. Conte stated a lagoon can have up to 5 million gallons of storage. Mayor Ludwig asked Bross and Conte what actions they needed the Council to take. Bross stated right now they wanted a general idea of what the Council was wanting. The location is a big question. Mayor Ludwig stated he did not want to mention any names until he has had time to speak to the individual. The location should be approximately 4 to 5 acres. Mayor Ludwig asked if they see a need in 20 to 40 years to increase the lagoon. Conte stated no. Mayor Ludwig stated he is in favor of the lagoon, but he is not sure which direction the Council wanted to move. Bross stated before the Council made any motions, they would like to finish their report and have the Council look it over and then motion to accept the report. Rossiter stated he would like the Mayor to check into ground. Discussion was held on trying to find a location with 6 acres. Mayor Ludwig stated he would get back with Bross before the end of this week. Mayor Ludwig thanked the visitors for coming.

 Mayor Ludwig opened the floor to the next visitor Jules DeCoster. DeCoster stated he had just received a call from Sheriff Parrish and he was not going to be able to attend tonight meeting. DeCoster stated that the Highway Patrol Investigators had came to his office (and he might add with no great concerns) spoke to himself and Sheriff Parrish. Since that time his office and Sheriff Parrish has been contacted to see if they were going to have sufficient employees to help with coverage after the Casino is up and going. DeCoster stated his position as prosecutor is a part-time position, and he is funded by the County, from which he receives a salary. Both Sheriff Parrish and myself are starting to become concerns with the increase in their case loads and that is why they went to the meeting with the Missouri Gaming Commission. DeCoster stated he planned on attending the next meeting to let them know he could not answer their question of being able to handle an increase once the Casino is up and going since there are no actual figure to go with. DeCoster stated currently there is legation for revenue sharing to help address law enforcement needs regarding Casino's in St. Charles and St. Louis County. DeCoster stated he was not knowledgeable regarding the legation. Mayor Ludwig asked Mr. DeCoster if he was aware of what problems Sheriff Parrish was wanting to address. DeCoster stated Parrish's problem is being under staffed, and he would probably have to hire someone part-time and give them assistants. DeCoster stated the City now handles the misdemeanor violations, but he is concerned with anything that happens on the Casino because they would be state charges. DeCoster stated he was not here so much wanting revenue from the City for the County. DeCoster stated these concerns should be addressed, and he had been told by the Gaming Commission they needed to speak with the City. Mayor Ludwig stated a meeting had been held with Lt. Matt Brown and Corp John Romanue from the Gaming Highway Patrol, Charlie Jones from the Mo Highway Patrol and Sheriff Parrish. This meeting was held before anything had been started or even any ground breaking. Both Jones and Parrish stated they had no concerns. Parrish stated he had 3 deputies and was not planning on hiring any additional help in the future. Jones stated he was down on officers but it would be a while before being able to restart his office. Mayor Ludwig stated now that there is actual construction going on, Parrish does not have enough deputies or revenues to effectively run his department. Mayor Ludwig ask DeCoster since there is big construction project going on in Canton, that will be taking people off of the highway, would they be going to Canton asking for money. Mayor Ludwig stated this new project will also increase, traffic, bad checks and other crimes. DeCoster stated no because they would not be generating the revenues that the Casino would. Rossiter stated at the last Council meeting Lany Seckington had given the Council a report from St. Joseph Police Dept, stating in the year of 2000 they had 56 calls to the Casino and the Sheriffs dept, was call 5 times. Mayor Ludwig stated he would like to suggest a solution to Sheriff Parrish if he feels there will be a problem with not enough officers. Mayor Ludwig stated Parrish could commission 4 or 5 City Officers and set up a zone which the City Officers would be able to response as a commissioned officer. Mayor Ludwig stated there would be no cost to the County regarding the officers or vehicles. This would have do away with some of the problems stated here tonight regarding vehicles and man power. Wiewel asked DeCoster if he could handle 10 more cases in a year. DeCoster stated yes, but he could not handle 50 more. DeCoster stated he had been given a number of a 39% increase in Caruthersville. Mayor Ludwig asked DeCoster where he got this figure. DeCoster stated the State Court Administrators. Mayor Ludwig stated your trying to tell me this increase of 39% was strictly to do with the Casino. Mayor Ludwig stated when he and Chief Baker went to Caruthersville they were told there had been a decrease in crime. Mayor Ludwig stated the Missouri Gaming Commission was not aware of such an increase. DeCoster stated the Gaming Commission stated they were going to be looking into the matter, because they had not been made aware of the problem. Lowe stated the City is trying to work with the Gaming Commission. The Council was told a minimum of 10 officers would be needed and this is what the City is doing. We were told there needed to be adequate protection or they would hold the Casino license. We are trying to take all steps forward and not delay the opening of the Casino. DeCoster stated that he was told the same thing, but without the funding it's not going to be possible. Martin asked the Commissioners if they thought, and if they would see an increase in taxes. Nancy Goehl gave a break down of taxes to be received regarding property and sales taxes. Of the taxes collected 1/4 percent goes to law enforcement. Goehl stated they are not looking at getting a great income. Goehl stated as far as coming here to night wanting money was not their intention. They were made aware of the concerns stated by DeCoster and Parrish by reading the paper. Martin ask again way wasn't the City contacted first. Martin stated that Parrish had been contacted by the City and invited to a meeting which he came to, and then we see in the paper where he is going to the Gaming Commission. DeCoster stated no one from the City contacted him, only someone from the Gaming Highway Patrol and this is why he went to them with his concerns. DeCoster stated if they asked him right now to sign off on anything stating his office was prepared for the Casino he would not do it. Mayor Ludwig asked DeCoster why he did not contact the City with his concerns. DeCoster stated he did not see where the City would be causing him any problems. DeCoster stated he planned on attending the next Gaming Commission meeting and to let them know he does not have the ability to do what they are asking. Goehl stated she felt if there were going to be any problems, then the Casino should be held responsible. Chief Baker stated that the City Police Officers would have jurisdiction on at the Casino site, just not the gaming floor. Chief Baker stated he felt a lot of the concerns should lie on the shoulders of the Highway Patrol for the Gaming Commission. They are telling the City one thing and telling DeCoster and Parrish something else. Mayor Ludwig stated that is why he suggested having some of the City officers commissioned to help anything other then Municipal ordinance violations, and setting up a zone for them to work out of. Mayor Ludwig stated this is his suggestion and has not been brought up before the Council for a vote. Other discussion was held on the amount of prisons the jail could hold. DeCoster stated his concerns for bad checks being passed that his office would have to handle. Mayor Ludwig stated Mark Twain Casino has a company that they will use regarding bad check. DeCoster stated he is not worried about those checks, it's the checks being given to Casey's and Ayero. Discussion was held on the only time one of the City officers would respond to a call was by request of the Sheriffs office. DeCoster asked about the liability. Mayor Ludwig stated the City Clerk would look into the City's insurance. Mayor Ludwig asked DeCoster what he was wanting from the City. DeCoster stated he did not know, because it was like shooting in the dark, no one know for sure of the increase it will have on his office. Mayor Ludwig stated he felt DeCoster should set up a meeting with Mark Twain Casino regarding his concern. Goehl stated this meeting was not to be confrontational, because we are all here for Lewis County. Mayor Ludwig and the City Council thanked Mr. DeCoster and the County Commissioners for coming to this meeting. Having nothing further before the Council. Martin made the motion to adjourn. Sherwood second the motion. Motion carried all six yes.