Department Heads Discuss Rate Increase Needs at Sedalia Council Meeting

Rate increases were the main topic of discussion at Monday night’s City Council meeting, with Council members hearing presentations from no less than five department heads.

As explained by City Administrator Matt Wirt, rate adjustments are never easy, but often necessary to ensure that the City can continue to deliver reliable and high-quality services to Sedalia citizens at a reasonable rate.

Inflation was blamed for most of the rate increase requests, whether it be for fuel, equipment replacement, operational expenses or landfill fees.

When shortfalls occur, the City’s General Fund is normally used to make up the difference, Wirt noted.

Council heard from Cemetery Director Roger Waters first.

He requested a new backhoe that will replace a 2003 model that has exceeded its useful life, with frequent mechanical and hydraulic issues, resulting in ongoing maintenance costs and unreliability.

A Sourcewell bid was received from Martin Equipment in Columbia for $105,350, which includes a trade-in for the old backhoe that has been used at Crown Hill Cemetery for well over two decades.

Council approved the purchase of a new backhoe with seven yes votes and one absent (Mayor Pro Tem Rhiannon Foster).

Future improvements at Crown Hill include plans for a new committal shelter to be funded by Sue Heckart.

Waters also unveiled proposed rate increase for cemetery services.

Cemetery lots are now $550 each. The new rate will increase that to $650.

By contrast, Waters noted that the current cost of lots at Memorial Park and Highland Sacred Gardens is $1,099. Three years ago, those two businesses were acquired by Page-Dady Enterprises, LLC.

Riverview Cemetery in Jeff City charges $1800 for their lots. Sunset Hill in Warrensburg charges $750. Englewood in Clinton charges $700.

Casket burial (open & close) will increase from $600 to $750 weekdays. On Saturday, that figure will increase from $800 to $1,000. On Sunday, that figure will increase from $1,000 to $1,300. And if it’s a holiday, that figure will increase from $1,200 to $1,500.

Cremation burial (below ground) will increase from $300 to $400 weekdays, from $400 to $550 on Saturday, from $600 to $750 on Sunday, and from $700 to $850 on a holiday. (You can see more details in the related photos in the gallery below)

City Clerk Jason Myers also addressed the Council and noted that 94 fire records requests were received in 2024, with a total of $734.50 billed and have received 44 so far this year with a total of $242.50 billed so far in 2025.

General  records requests steadily increased from 27 in 2021, to 51 in 2022, to 82 in 2023, to 159 in 2024. A total of 95 general records request have been received so far this year.

Billing for those requests went from $218.46 in 2021, to $1,253.91 in 2022, to $1832.05 in 2023, to $2940.10 in 2024. So far this year, billing stands at $1,780.40.

Police records requests totaled 2,112 in 2024 and stand at 1,201 so far this year.

Myers noted that his fees have not increased since 2017, but the salary scale for his office has been increased numerous times since then.

For fire records requests, Myers proposed a fee increase from $24.75 an hour to $32.22 an hour. For fire and general records requests, he proposed an increase from $23.60 to $29.67 an hour.

All the increase proposals are based on current base salaries and benefits.

CBO Bryan Kopp proposed rate increases as well, for Annexations, floodplain development permits, extra inspections (for the third one and those thereafter), building permits, mechanical permits and plumbing permits.

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Public Works Operations Manager Justin Bray proposed increases in trash pickup services.

Three sizes of residential carts were rolled into Council Chambers to illustrate what is available now in Sedalia.

Currently, a 35-gallon cart costs $2.30 per week. A 65-gallon cart costs $4.27 per week, and a 95-gallon cart costs $6.24 per week.

Sedalia currently has 7,724 customers for residential trash pickup.

Proposed monthly rates are $15 for a 35-gallon cart, $19.50 for a 65-gallon cart, and $22.50 for a 95-gallon cart ($26 for two 95-gallon carts).

There will be a $2 discount available for elderly customers, Bray noted.

Bray also noted that close to 90 percent of the cost of trash collection for a 95-gallon cart goes to landfill fees.

Third Ward Councilman Bob Cross pointed out that the City of Sedalia has nothing to do with landfill fees and no control over that cost.

When asked how soon we would like to see the new fees implemented, Bray replied, “as soon as possible.”

In his presentation, William L. Bracken, filtration plant chief operator for the water department, noted that the cost of repair components for the City’s water distribution system and wastewater collections system have skyrocketed from $99,000 in 2021 to $446,008 in 2025.

That is due in part to a 50 to 86% increase in plastic pipe and components, a 75% increase in brass and stainless steel and the ongoing Trump tariffs, accounting for a 15-25% increase in maintenance costs.

In addition, Brackman told the Council that three or four of his 41 fleet vehicles need to be replaced every year.

He also noted that some of the water pipes in Sedalia are 150-years old and need to be replaced.

Bracken proposed a five percent increase in water rates, and a 7.5 percent increase in wastewater rates.

No public comments were received when the floor was opened up for comments.

Council was then given an update on the Washington Street Bridge situation.

City Administrator Wirt said that the final stamped plans and and drawings from the engineer (HDR) for the repairs should be done by the last week of August. “There’s quite a bit there that has to be done at the end ... there are five columns that will be completely replaced, encase seven columns, replace some of the steel, clean up & repaint the metal on the bridge approaches, and replace the sidewalk boards.

They want to bid the package ASAP. But the bid will probably be out for several weeks, because, Wirt said, “so that we make sure get appropriate and skilled contractors involved in that.” He added that “we will not have to go through another review process (with MoDOT) before it goes out to bid, which is really good news, because that could add another six weeks to the project.”

The great unknown at this point is who the contactor will be and how long it will take them to do the repairs.

After construction is complete, the bridge will still need to be “rated,” Wirt said.

“Glad to hear that we’ve come to that point to where we can open the bridge back up,” Second Ward Councilwoman Boggess commented. “It took a long time, but there were a lot of entities that were involved in this.”

Boggess later thanked SFD’s C-shift for an event they attended at Hubbard Park on Saturday. An event in which a young man broke his ankle. Sedalia firefighter promptly spring into action and tended to him, and picking him up & carrying him to a waiting car so he could be transported to the hospital for further treatment.

Third Ward Councilman Bob Hiller said his DARE car would be on display a Sumner Insurance on Tuesday for customer appreciation day.

Council approved the SPD applying for a 2026 Missouri Blue Shield Grant to replace aging Panasonic MK3 in-car cameras for police cruisers.

The cost of the new cameras (12 i-PRO VPU-400 units) is $75,630. The grant, if approved, is expected to be at least $50,000. Total funding is possible, but not guaranteed. Purchase and delivery will take place in FY2026.

The SPD was awarded a $8,700 grant for a TAPCO school zone blinker sign with radar feedback for the Sacred Heart school zone on West 3rd Street. The total cost of the unit is $8,749.01.

Two liquor licenses were renewed to wind up the 1 hour, 23-minute meeting Monday night:

*Nicole Walker dba Discount Smokes & Liquor, 2205 South Limit, Suite D, for packaged liquor and Sunday sales, $450

*Eric Brown dba Buffalo Wild Wings, 4401 Wisconsin Avenue #100, for liquor by the drink and Sunday sales, $750

There were no good and welfare comments made this time.

Council meets again Aug. 18.

In the top photo: Human Resources Director Shannon Ramey-Trull rolls in one the trash carts that were on display at Monday night’s City Council meeting during a  presentation by Public Works Operations Manager Justin Bray.