St. Joseph council places charter amendment on April ballot, approves $2.26M city hall window contract and consent agenda

The St. Joseph City Council voted unanimously to add a proposed charter amendment to the April ballot, approve a $2,264,835 design-build contract for city hall window replacement and adopt its consent agenda during a regularly scheduled meeting.

Councilmembers approved the addition of Bill 685-22 to the agenda, a measure the record identifies as proposed charter amendments to be submitted to voters at the April 2, 2024 election. The motion to add the bill passed 8-0.

The council next approved a lengthy consent agenda that included appointments (Sarah Weaver to the Land Bank Board; Greg Hatton to the Tourism Commission; Robert Bueker to the Planning Commission; Gage Barton to the Building and Fire Prevention Code Board of Appeals), multiple budget amendments drawing on American Rescue Plan Act funds for civic arena and park projects, authorizations for master agreements for on-call plumbing and architectural services, and a set of routine resolutions and contract authorizations. The consent agenda passed on a recorded 8-0 vote after a motion moved by Marty Novak and seconded by Trout.

Separately, the council approved Ordinance 23, which authorizes a design-build contract with Time Key Enterprises (DBA Time Key Glazing) for $2,264,835 and an amendment to the capital projects fund for $1,800,000 to cover the city hall window replacement project. During discussion, a council member asked that city staff and the contractor provide before-and-after photos and additional public information explaining why the project calls for replacement rather than restoration; staff said they would coordinate that documentation with the contractor. The ordinance passed 8-0.

Other items summarized by staff included a change order for Herzog Contracting Corporation for $15,641 related to asphalt resurfacing in the Greystone subdivision, an authorization for sanitary sewer rehabilitation using cured-in-place pipe, funding to reinspect city-owned sanitary sewer manholes, and multiple transportation- and airport-related grant agreements and purchases. Several items were presented as first readings or budget amendments and will return for future action as required.

The meeting concluded after staff reports when the council opened the public-comment period; no members of the public signed up to speak and the meeting was adjourned.