HERMANN – A committee of city officials and employees will be formed to oversee a “Loss-Control Program” aimed at boosting safety and saving dollars lost through claims against the municipality.

The creation of the Safety Committee was authorized through the approval of a resolution by the Hermann Board of Aldermen (BOA) on Monday, Sept. 28.

The measure was crafted to supplement the work done by the Missouri Intergovernmental Risk Management Association (MIRMA), an agency that works with municipalities to ensure public safety as a way to protect against injuries that lead to lawsuits against local government. The condition of playground equipment and the condition of sidewalks are a big focus of MIRMA’s regular visits to its member cities.

But the Safety Committee will go beyond inspections of sidewalks and the slides and swings in City Park. As outlined in the multi-page document that accompanied the resolution, the panel will aim for increased emphasis on safety during projects being conducted by city employees. “All operations can create exposure to personal injury or property damage,” according to the document. “Operations will be reviewed to consider potential hazards. We believe that most accidents can be prevented through property planning and precautions.”

The Safety Committee will be comprised of the city administrator, chief of police, foreman or lineman of the Electric Division, Street Department foreman and/or Park Department foreman, the foreman of the Gas, Water and Wastewater Divisions, the Department of Public Works director, the city clerk and/or the human resources administrator and an employee representative.

The panel’s purpose, the document said, includes:

Coordinating and establishing goals, objectives and regulations for this program to ensure directors are current and meet current needs.

Crafting an employee safety guideline handbook that includes general rules and regulations.

Reviewing statistical data, records and reports of safety matters, including the review of all claims filed during the preceding month and making recommendations to concerned parties about how accidents could have been prevented.

Make follow-up investigations of accidents and safety inspections and making recommendations to the city administrator or designee for preventing the occurrences or recurrence of accidents.

Discussing problems and ideas concerning general and specific loss-prevention efforts.

Developing and conducting a program of safety and health inspections.

The city administrator or her designee will serve as chairman of the Safety Committee.

Meanwhile, in other matters taken up during the BOA session last week, a new Street Department foreman was hired. City Administrator Paricia Heaney recommended to the mayor and aldermen that Nicholas Burris be he hired to succeed the retiring Todd Lensing.

Burris was one of almost a dozen applicants resulting from a second round of solicitation for the position. Eight of those 11 were interviewed with three of those getting a second interview. In her memo to the mayor and board, the city administrator noted that Burris has experience in working with asphalt and concrete and doing curb-and-gutter work, sidewalks and water system repairs.

Lensing is scheduled to retire during the early part of 2027. Burris was scheduled to begin training for the position this week.