Stretching Your Tax Dollars - Part 2

Forms are laid for the foundation of a new bathroom at the recreation complex.
City staff members are constructing the building at half the cost of a private contractor.

Previously, I blogged about how the Public Works Department saved $25,000 in taxpayer money by taking a creative approach to completing major electrical projects at city facilities. Well, they've done it again! The city is currently replacing two restroom buildings at the Recreation Complex. When we've built restroom buildings in recent years the costs have been around $90,000 each as bid by private contractors. The Public Works Department starting exploring whether we could save money by constructing those buildings ourselves. What we found out is that our staff can complete the foundation, plumbing, and roofing work ourselves, and we only need to bid out the masonry work. By doing so, the cost of constructing these buildings was cut in more than half, meaning that we can construct two of them ourselves for the price we used to pay for one. This is just another example of how the city takes our financial stewardship seriously. Tax money is limited, so city staff tries to make it go as far as possible.

Adopt-A-Road Reboot

City employees and family members completed a litter cleanup on Linn St.

The City of Sikeston has had an Adopt-A-Road Program for many years, although it hasn't been very active the last few years. In an effort to revive the program, the city has launched a new webpage (http://www.sikeston.org/departments/public_works/adopt-a-street_program.php) and city employees adopted a street to kick it off. If you are interested in adopting a street please visit the webpage or call the Public Works Department at (573) 475-5636. The Public Works Department will provide trash bags for cleanup events and pick up the full bags left along the route, as well as post signs recognizing volunteer groups along adopted roadway sections. It's an easy way for companies, families, school groups, churches, Scout organizations, civic clubs, and others to give back to the community.