Arnold City Council members approved $282,432.17 in expenditures during their last two meetings.
The expenditures cover the cost of upgrading the electrical system at the Arnold Farmers Market, repairing a city dump truck, purchasing a zero-turn lawnmower and replacing six police vehicles.
The eight-member council voted unanimously to approve the expenditures during the June 18 and July 16 meetings.
Arnold Farmers Market
The city will pay Byrne Electric Co. of St. Louis $24,320 to upgrade the electrical system at the Farmers Market. Council members approved the expenditure July 16.
The market is located near the entrance of Arnold City Park on Bradley Beach Road off Jeffco Boulevard near the Meramec River.
The market is open from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday through mid-October.
The contract calls for the electrical work to be done within 45 days after all parties have signed it, and Parks and Recreation Director Dickie Brown said the city expects the work to be completed by the end of September.
Along with providing better electric service for market vendors to operate equipment like fans, grills and cooling units, Brown said the improved system could open the space for different events and gatherings.
“We have the opportunity to make it a multi-function venue,” Brown said of the site that features a pavilion and numerous stalls for vendors. “We are getting requests from organizations about the possibility of using it for their events. The Rotary Club recently used it for a ceremony.
“We have the opportunity to make the transition from just being the Farmers Market to being a venue that can be enjoyed by multiple organizations for multiple functions. I think it will be a great feature for the parks and rec inventory of sites.”
Dump truck repair
The city will pay K and K Car Repair of Arnold $17,832.10 to repair a 2013 International 7100 one-axle dump truck.
City Administrator Bryan Richison said this is the second of the city’s seven dump trucks that need repairs. The trucks lose power after rust and corrosion build up under the truck’s body because of the sand and salt used to treat city streets during snow storms, Public Works Director Judy Wagner said during the July 16 meeting when the expenditure was approved.
Wagner told council members the other five trucks likely will need repairs at some point because a third truck has been showing the engine problems. She said a reason the trucks need to be fixed is because Public Works lacks a way to get under the trucks to completely clean off the products used to clear snow from streets.
Lawnmower
On June 18, council members agreed to pay Scott’s Power Equipment $12,034.17 for a 72-inch Ferris Zero-turn mower. The mower was purchased to cut the grass at the former Arnold Golf Club, which was transitioned to a park after council members stopped funding the golf course operation.
Police vehicles
Also on June 18, council members approved a $228,246 expenditure to buy six Chevrolet Tahoes for the Arnold Police Department from Don Brown Chevrolet of St. Louis.
The police typically replace five to six vehicles in its 28-vehicle fleet every year, Chief Bob Shockey told councils members.
This is the third year Arnold Police will buy Tahoes instead of Ford Explorers.
Shockey said Tahoes are preferred because they have more room than Explorers, and the city is comfortable purchasing the Chevrolets because they don’t cost significantly more.
The Police Department will sell the older SUVs with the money going into the city’s general revenue fund, or offer them for use in other city departments.