Richmond City Council reviews 2021: budgets, ordinances and infrastructure projects

The Richmond City Council met regularly through 2021 and took a string of financial, infrastructure and administrative actions affecting streets, parks, water systems and municipal services.

Mayor Mike Wright presided over council sessions during which members adopted the FY2022 operating budget and tax levy, approved ordinance changes to the municipal code and passed a series of contract awards for capital and maintenance work. Council votes were generally unanimous on the routine motions recorded in meeting minutes.

Why it matters: The budget and contract approvals set how much the city will spend on street overlays, public-safety equipment and parks upkeep in the coming year. Several actions also shape the city’s longer-term infrastructure work — notably a limited water system master plan and the continuation of the AMI water-meter rollout.

Contracts and projects: Council awards included 2021 street resurfacing (a combined mill-and-overlay and slurry-seal program), resurfacing and repair work at Southview pool and park, new picnic tables and tree removal at Maurice Roberts and Hamann parks, and multiple small capital purchases such as ultraviolet lamps for the water plant. The council also approved the purchase of a Jet-Vac sewer truck to replace an aging unit and authorized a five-year Enterprise Fleet Management program to manage rolling stock.

Water, AMI and wastewater: The council advanced several water-system items. It authorized Olsson to produce a limited water-system master plan and approved AMI-related change orders and funding for contractors to relocate difficult basement meter sets and resolve plumbing issues encountered during the AMI rollout. At the wastewater plant, council approved a SCADA upgrade and purchases needed for plant operations.

Ordinances, codes and courts: Council adopted several ordinances in 2021, including residential rental-code updates, sidewalk requirements for new construction, fire-code updates, and technical changes to tax and billing codes. The municipal court moved onto the statewide Show-Me Courts automation system and approved the required court-automation fee to support that migration.

Finance, bonds and grants: Council engaged bond-underwriting services (Piper Sandler) and approved refunding and lease-purchase documents for outstanding water and sewer obligations. The city accepted a MoDOT TEAP grant to study the Camden Street corridor and applied for water-infrastructure risk-assessment funds and federal grants for fire-safety equipment.

Public services and community events: The council approved agreements for mowing and park maintenance, awarded contracts for pool and facilities repairs, and formally supported community events including the Mushroom Festival. The council also received reports on household hazardous-waste planning, recycling-service changes, and ongoing economic development and comprehensive-plan work.

Personnel and governance: The council handled routine appointments to boards and commissions, sworn in new members and staff during the year, and adopted a conflict-of-interest disclosure ordinance required for political subdivisions with budgets over $1 million.

What’s next: The council adopted a set of FY2022 goals tied to continued infrastructure investment and to completing the comprehensive plan work. Several approved projects — the water-system master plan, Camden corridor study, and AMI meter relocations — will move into design or construction phases in 2022.

Votes at a glance: the record shows numerous unanimous votes approving ordinances (Bills 21-01 through 21-26 where indicated), multiple RFP awards (e.g., RFP 06-2020 tennis courts, RFP 01-2021 mowing, 2021 overlay contracts), and resolutions authorizing bond refundings (Res. 446, Res. 447). Specific tallies are recorded in the minutes for each item (many recorded as 7-0 or 8-0).