Owensville aldermen on Monday approved paying $30,000 of the $33,000 being withheld on the police station construction contract with Lawlor Construction which has agreed to replace a cracked window in the reception office.

A specialized reinforced glass pane developed a crack prior to the city taking control of the building this past summer. The crack, although not completely through the inch-thick material, caused city officials to withhold a final payment owed of around $33,000.

Travis Hernandez, the city’s contracted engineer through Archer-Elgin, pressed the board for approval of a release on the final payment. Lawlor has agreed to replace the window at a cost of approximately $2,500 plus labor.

“It seems excessive you holding that much money back for a window,” said Hernandez.

City Administrator Randy Blaske offered input on how Hernandez had negotiated the replacement with Lawlor. Replacement may still be four weeks away due to supply and manufacturing delays.

“We don’t have to hold them hostage for something that’s related to supply chain and manufacturing delays,” Blaske told aldermen.

Ward 1 Alderman Kevin McFadden motioned the board approve paying $30,000 toward the balance owed. Rob Borgmann, alderman in Ward 2 and board president, offered a quick second. Aldermen voted 3-1 to pay the $30,000 and retain the balance of up to $3,000 until the window is replaced. Cathy Lahmeyer from Ward 1 firmly voted “no” on the motion.

And, in a year which saw an overall increase of police cases “pulled” of 19.8 percent, City Marshal Robert Rickerd’s force is short two patrol officers. Two men left in December for positions with the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department.

Rickerd on Monday sought approval of a proposal which would reimburse police recruits attending a certified academy program if they agree to employment for a specified number of years.

Aldermen, however, were unable to come to a consensus on the length of time a new recruit should work for the city or how much the academy tuition reimbursement would be, prompting Mayor John Kamler to suggest they needed “more discussion.”

Ward 1’s McFadden suggested the proposal for a two-year commitment to the city for funding academy training with a $5,000 reimbursement should be three years, up from the two proposed. McFadden’s fellow Ward 1 alderman, Lahmeyer, thought $5,000 was “too high” and cited “fairness” complaints from a local manufacturing plant’s employees who are unhappy with sign-on bonuses and higher-paying shift differentials.

“Many senior employees are unhappy,” said Lahmeyer. She also expressed concerns about “rebound employees” who might “boomerang back” to city employment with the lure of a sign-on bonus or other increases for shift differentials.

All this while Rickerd was explaining he had one applicant and that applicant had five different jobs in the past 18 months.

“I’m not in a position to put a person in a warm seat just to fill the seat,” said Rickerd. He also noted many applicants have specific requirements like no weekends, or no evening/overnight shifts.

Aldermen on a unanimous 4-0 vote rescinded a 2021 city resolution which provided added paycheck and leave protection for city employees who might contract the COVID-19 virus. Blaske cited the announcement Thursday by Gov. Mike Parson which removed Missouri from its nearly 94-week long state of emergency declaration as a reason to drop the policy. Since the governor’s declaration ended Dec. 31, Blaske suggested the city to go “back to normal language” and “if a crisis is declared again, we’d follow suit.” The rescinding of Resolution 2021-1 takes the city “back to regular personnel policy” which the Board of Aldermen can adjust as needed, according to Blaske.