Council OKs upgrades to police Tasers, new Rec Center restroom vote looms
By Cameron Montemayor
St. Joseph Police Officers will upgrade to some of the top Tasers on the market in the coming months after City Council approved a large purchase of more than 100 new Taser models on Monday.
At Monday’s City Council meeting, councilmembers unanimously approved an agreement to purchase 134 Taser 10 models from Axon using $640,458 in American Rescue Plan Act funds. Many of the tasers currently in use by local officers were issued in 2007 and are approaching end of life.
“We’re not going to get batteries or parts for them or get service on them any more, so we needed to upgrade that technology,” St. Joseph Police Chief Paul Luster said.
The purchase agreement with Axon Enterprises Inc. — a global leader in the development of TASER conducted electrical weapons — includes device warranties, holsters, battery charging docks, unlimited duty cartridges and training programs for instructor certification and annual recertification.
“This is probably the most advanced taser that Exxon has put out to date, and it has a lot of enhanced safety features,” Luster said.
Delivery of the Tasers is anticipated by December 2024, with implementation and training scheduled for January and February 2025.
Also at Monday’s meeting, councilmembers accepted a $93,637 Continuum of Care planning grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development for consulting services to address homelessness in the community. The grant will be used to enter into two agreements, one with Homebase, Center for Common Concerns, LLC, for $46,818 and another with United Way of Greater St. Joseph in the amount of $46,819.
Additionally, councilmembers approved $65,000 for alley and sidewalk repairs at 6th & Felix as part of the Mosaic Block Rehabilitations Project.
The project is one of many upgrades planned or already carried out as part of a $1.5 million ARPA-funded agreement between the city and Mosaic for the rehabilitation and improvement of the two-block area adjacent to the Children’s Discovery Center. Herzog Contracting Corp. has submitted a quote to provide labor and materials for the project.
City looks
to address
24-hour Rec
Center restroom
A bill for first reading shows city officials are looking to construct a new restroom facility at the Rec Center after some residents raised concerns about a lack of a 24-hour restroom for those using the Fitness Center outside of staffed hours.
The ordinance would OK a change order with Brooner Construction & Crane for the addition of a single unisex restroom facility at the REC Center using $58,979 in American Rescue Plan Act funds. Councilmembers will vote on that item at their next meeting on Nov. 12. The meeting will fall on a Tuesday due to Veterans Day.
The project will have a minor effect on a custodial closet and children’s room within the REC Center.
Other agenda
items approved
by Council
City Council authorized the purchase of 52 new conversion kits for bus bike racks for the Mass Transit division in the amount of $29,673 from Sportsworks. Currently, bus bike racks will not safely accommodate the bigger style of bicycles.
Recently, a wide-tired bike fell off the bus bike rack and was at risk of being run over because it was too large for the current size of the bike rack.
Additionally, a resolution authorizing the issuance of a master agreement work order with Auxier Construction Company to repair the sidewalks and driveway at the Remington Nature Center utilizing parks sales tax funds in the amount of $102,045.
A resolution authorizing the issuance of a purchase order to St. Joseph Peterbilt in the amount of $29,398 for the purchase and installation of a new diesel engine in the 70-foot aerial lift truck used by the park maintenance division.
ARPA funds approved for Civic Arena upgrades
Just over $60,000 in ARPA funds were approved Monday for three additional upgrades at Civic Arena, part of more than $9 million in improvements being carried out at the facility overall.
Upgrades
approved include:
$17,825 for counter tops and drawer boxes from Cabinets, Counters & More.
$29,769 for new bleacher stair units from Carrol Seating.
$14,230 for stair railings from Bundy Fence, LLC.
