Council approves Old Highway 79 cost‑share, refuse trucks, water‑plant change order and entertainment contract

At the March 12 meeting the O'Fallon City Council approved a set of ordinances and resolutions covering road reimbursements, equipment purchases, and an entertainment procurement contract.

Old Highway 79 overlay (Bill 7843): Council adopted Bill 7843 by recorded vote. The ordinance approves an intergovernmental agreement with Saint Charles County to reimburse the city’s portion of an overlay on Old Highway 79 in an amount not to exceed $68,936; the clerk recorded the final passage as 6–0.

Procurements and change orders: Council approved a suite of procurement resolutions by recorded votes, each passing 6–0 as recorded:
- Resolution authorizing purchase of two side‑loader refuse trucks from Elliott Equipment, not to exceed $669,450.
- Resolution authorizing purchase of one rear‑load refuse truck from Larson Group Peterbilt Mid‑America, not to exceed $274,941.
- Resolution authorizing a change order with Chemex Inc. for reverse osmosis and general water treatment plant improvements, not to exceed $152,065.35.

Entertainment procurement and bid questions: Council approved a multi‑year agreement with Blank Slate, LLC providing entertainment procurement and production services for city events (the resolution describes an estimated annual amount of approximately $410,000). Councilmember Ragsdale asked for bid amounts and transparency; staff provided a bid recap in response, reporting a low bid of $463,440 from a competing vendor (which included a higher commission rate) and further details about vendor proposals and payment schedules.

Voting and next steps: All listed resolutions passed on March 12 by recorded vote (6–0). Council asked staff to include bid recaps and contract payment schedules in future materials when procurement amounts draw council questions.