St. Joseph council approves consent agenda including police budget changes, ARPA vehicle funding and $2.5M East Town utilities allocation

The St. Joseph City Council approved its consent agenda, clearing several budget amendments, contracts and grant items during the meeting.

Clerk read the consent items, which included an ordinance amending the general fund police program budget by $145,331 to cover compensation adjustments under a working agreement with emergency communications operators lodge number 1; a transfer of $920,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act fund to the general fund police program to buy 10 Chevy Tahoes (listed at $47,500 per vehicle plus a $44,500 per‑vehicle set‑up cost); an amended employment agreement with City Manager Brian Carter; and a $2,500,000 capital projects fund amendment to improve utilities serving the East Town Business Park under a Missouri Department of Economic Development/Missouri American Rescue Plan Act industrial site development grant.

Other items the council cleared included use agreements to allow area school districts and a private swim academy to use the Missouri Western State University Thomas Eagleton indoor pool; a $353,203 amendment to the swimming program budget with forecasted additional revenue of $104,160; a five‑year lease with the Bartlett Center for space in the Horace Mann Community Center; Save Our Heritage grant agreements totaling $150,000 to aid improvements for 12 historic properties; a resolution expressing intent to issue taxable industrial development revenue bonds in an approximate principal amount of $8.5 million to finance a project for Altec Industries Inc.; and a memorandum of understanding with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to provide vital records services.

Council member Davis moved to approve the consent agenda and Council member Schomburg seconded. Roll call showed eight ayes; Council member Randolph recorded an abstention on the Save Our Heritage grants (item 14). The motion carried.

The council did not debate the individual items at length during the meeting; clerk recitation and roll call were the central procedural actions recorded. The approved measures advance the listed budget amendments, contracts and grant awards to the next administrative or implementation steps specified in each ordinance or resolution.