An effort to sell off the city’s former power plant on the corner of Marvin and  Cuba took another step forward Monday with the sale of 21 surplus transformers through the sealed-bid process.

T&R Electric Supply, Co., Inc., Colman, South Dakota, submitted a winning bid of $5,742.75 for the used transformers. Jerry’s Electric, Inc., Colman, South Dakota, bid $4,816.50 for the units and Sunbelt Soloman in Solomon, Kansas, bid $3,908.75.

Sunbelt Soloman, which conducted testing services on oil samples from each of the city’s surplus transformers, was awarded a $1,700 contract to remove two units which were found to have elevated levels of PCB contaminants. Those units were not included in the sale to T&R and the city is paying for their removal. 

City Administrator Randy Blaske told aldermen the removal of the transformers will mean the second phase of a Missouri Department of Natural Resources Brownfield survey of the site can commence now that the transformers will be gone. An inspection of the site will determine if the city will need to have any contaminated soil or rock removed through a regulated abatement process. “We’re making progress,” said Blaske.

Roger Enke was awarded a $12,330 contract to pour a concrete driveway apron at the community’s No. 3 fire station on a 4-0 vote Monday by Owensville’s Board of Aldermen. Enke’s quote was the low bid to specifications. James Custom Flatwork bid the project for $15,145. The work was expected to begin sometime this week if weather permits. 

The project is part of an addition to the station which was completed in 2021.

Aldermen also awarded a $9,435 contract for five sets of protective turnout gear for the community’s volunteer fire department to Ed M. Feld Equipment based in Grain Valley, Mo. Feld was low bidder to specifications. Danko Emergency Equipment out of Snyder, Neb., bid the gear for $12,291.07 and Fire Master Fire Equipment, Co., Springfield, Mo., quoted the equipment for $13,845.45. Fire Chief Jeff Arnold told aldermen the equipment is the same as the previous 15 sets purchased for the department and the cost of these five sets was lower than purchasing four sets from other vendors at their quoted prices.

The equipment has a 10-year life span before it must be replaced.

Aldermen also approved a lease agreement with the county to provide office space on the second story of City Hall for use as a coroner’s office space for Arnold for $150 a month. The lease continues through Dec. 31, 2024.