Projects

(Mostl Projects and Events While With the City of Salisbury)

Marshall Transformer Purchase:  Negotiated purchasing over 300 transformers of various sizes for only $25 each.  The kw ranged from 10’s to 100’s with 25kw being the most purchases, which is most widely used in our distribution system.  The average price of a 25kw transformer at today’s price is roughly $800 each and a 100kw transformer, $2,000.  The number of transformers purchased from Marshall meant that very few transformers were purchased over a 25 year period resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in saving to the community.

Safety Award Designations:  Received the highest safety award designation every single year for nearly a quarter century from the City’s workers compensation insurance carrier.  Salisbury moved from a center ranking of nearly 800 members to being tied for number one as of 2024 for safety performance.  The rankings and designations saved premiums dollars as well as payouts to injured workers.

Compost Area:  The old compost area used to be located on Holbrook Drive by the old Trickling Filter Sewer Plant.  Relocated the compost area to the southeast of town at the end of Market Lane.  Cleaned up the old compost site and removed a mountain of trash and debris from the new site.  Built roads and fencing at new site. 

Jim Blackwell Shooting Range:  In charge of building the site to accommodate police training and public firearm sighting.  Leveled area, built mound to absorb bullets, poured concrete slabs in five-yard increments and installed a long-range rifle shooting stand.  Moved the old announcer’s booth located at the arena at City Park to this location.

Land Application Project:  Installation of three land application pivots to address ongoing MoDNR and other regulatory agencies effluent mandates.  Assisted with the building of a new holding cell, construction of building, and running all infrastructure (including primary electric from town as well as secondary electric needs).  Was active in purchasing the 217 acre property adjacent to the existing lagoon site for application.

2.4 Acre Lagoon Closure:  Put in lift station to do away with effluent from this location.  One of four outfalls not meeting regulatory requirements.  Constructed lift station, electrical apparatuses and laid piping to main lagoon headworks.

Pott’s Memorial Park Trail Project:  Applied and received an RTP grant for the Installation of a one-mile walking trail with handicap accessible aggregate.  Cleared new paths, leveled uneven areas and removed trees and vegetation areas wide enough for emergency vehicles.  Built bridges, outdoor classroom and installed benches.  Incorporated plantings, wildlife habitats, birdhouses, tree identification markers and nature identification kiosks throughout.  Received the 2011 National Trails Program award handed out in Washington DC, which outranked state agencies attempts to win.

Pott’s Park Lake Fishing Dock:  Helped make contact with Missouri Department of Conservation to have a fishing dock installed.  Found location for the dock close to the boat ramp, assisted with the concrete piers, handicap parking area, and assembled fishing dock materials.

Pott’s Memorial Park Trail Expansion Project:  Put in charge of the construction of an additional one-and-a-half-mile trail.  Park committee used formally written grant as a guide to get new award.  Cleared all vegetation, leveled uneven areas, built bridges, a covered bridge, trail lighting, applied handicap aggregate and identification kiosks. 

Bill Leach RV Park Project:  Came up with the idea and advocated for the construction of a ten-space RV Park and drafted the tornado shelter equipped with bathrooms and showers.  Pursued grants from the Ingram Trust and local pipeline companies for material purchases.  Designed and installed all electric, water, wastewater, and septic system infrastructures, this included a two-inch water main to the location.  Leveled area and installed aggregate and drain tubing.  Assisted with the location and planting of future shade trees as well as the placement of firepits and picnic tables.

RV Park Expansion Project:  Put in charge of expanding the RV Park by an additional six sites.  Leveled property areas, installed tubing, applied aggregate, built lift station, and ran all infrastructure.

City Toddler Pool Project:  Oversaw and helped with the design of Salisbury’s Toddler Pool.  Saw the necessity to separate the Toddler Pool from the larger one from a sanitary and safety perspective. 

City Pool Improvement Project:  Constructed waterfalls to redirect return water to pool as a result of damaged piping after the pool deck was replaced.  Reworked piping inside the chemical room to take return water around the outside of the fence to new valving.  Had boring completed to appropriate locations.  Built waterfall structures for return water using mason blocks on decorative stone as well as building and placement of concrete tops.

City Pool Opening:  Despite many projects and repairs, the pool was opened every single year unlike several surrounding communities.  This was always a top priority to make sure the young and old alike had a recreational choice during the summer months.

Finished City Park Stage:  Completed the installation of log siding to match the Scout Cabin façade at the City Park.  Finished the installation of electrical on the inside and on the outside of the structure.

City Park Shelter and FFA Concession Stand:  Dirt work and location of these two structures

City Park Parking Area:  Had a structure and mobile home removed from lots north of the City Park for new parking area.  Dirt work, tube installation and rocked the parking lanes.

City Park Basketball Court:  Assisted with the receiving of an LWCF grant to resurface and install basketball goals.  Constructed the block wall to keep soil from washing onto new court and installed fencing.  Available to company during construction of the new concrete pad.

City Park Benches and Picnic Tables:  Assisted with getting grant for recycled material park benches and picnic tables using past grant templates for City Park.  Assisted with the assembly of these items along with community service workers and park labor.  Placement of benches includes: shelter houses, stage area, basketball court, trail, pool, as well as other areas.

City Park New Lighting Project:  Replaced antiquated lighting on decorative posts in City Park with brighter energy efficient lighting.  Removed old plastic globes with more attractive, acrylic, light casting, globes.  Was put in charge of the project as a result of energy consumption and safety concerns raised.

Cabin Bathrooms at City Park:  Put in charge of building new bathrooms in City Park to match the exterior of the Scout Cabin.  Found placement for, removed large maple tree, dug footings and ran utilities for the new structure.  Oversaw construction of the building as well as put in the electrical and interior plumbing inside the facility.

City Park Rock Structures:  Built block wall structure around playground at City Park to better contain mulch material around equipment.  The leftover block was used to build a firepit near the Scout Cabin to be utilized for Scout flag burning ceremonies and other activities.

City Park RV and Camper Cleanout Facility:  Was asked to come up with a location and construct an RV and camper cleanout service for city and area residents.  Installed water and wastewater infrastructure as well as an honor-pay setup. 

Dulaney Memorial Library Improvements:  Was put in charge of, as president of the library board, to lower the ceilings and install new lighting for energy efficiency purposes, as well as oversee the installation of new windows of the main library room.  Installed suspended ceiling material and new LED lighting.  In addition, rearranged library shelving layout to accommodate more reading material and easier handicap accessibility.

Downtown Revitalization Project:  In 2008, applied for and received a Missouri Department of Transportation TAP grant to revitalize downtown Salisbury.  Installed all utility infrastructure including decorative lamp posts, toppers and wiring.  Assembled, filled and planted block planters.  Oversaw construction of new sidewalks by MECO Engineering Services.  When project was complete, every single storefront had a business.

Downtown Utilities Relocation Project:  Put in charge of the relocation and installation of major utilities in the downtown area of Salisbury.  This was accomplished by moving these utilities to the alleyways located east and west of Broadway.  Although some utilities are still located on the northern end of Broadway, all others have been removed reducing dig-up events.

Industrial Site Designation Project:  Worked with local, state and economic development professionals to have Salisbury Industrial Site as Fiber Ready Designated.  This was done by working with utility communication partners to increase respective capacities.  At that time the community was only one of six communities in the state to have 100% fiber to businesses and homes and the first with such designation.

Circleview Lagoon Bypass Project:  Worked with an engineering firm to eliminate the lagoon effluent from the Circleview subdivision.  This location, as well as all other effluents, was not meeting ever-changing environmental regulation requirements.  Installed wiring and piping needed for the operation and oversaw the installation of a lift pump to transfer waste to southeast lagoon location.

Trickling Filter Plant Closer Project:  As a result of more stringent environmental parameters, was put in charge of the elimination of the Salisbury Trickling Filter Plant, built in 1954, and one of only two at the time left in the state.  Installed all electric and pumps needed to transfer wastewater from that location to a point that could be gravity fed to the southeast lagoons.  Oversaw the installation of force main piping, roughly two miles, to an appropriate location.

New Electric Substation Project:  Found location for and assisted with the design of a new electric substation for electric reliability and safety concerns.  The old substation, once located uptown, had dilapidated structures, failing equipment and had caught on fire on several occasions.  Faulty apparatuses had caused employee injury in the past.  All new equipment, structure and grounding was purchased and installed.  Most all work was performed by City personnel.

Generation and Switching Upgrade Improvement Project:  Oversaw major work processes on peaking unit generators, including some with new electric panel upgrades.  Switching units to match incoming power was a major safety concern.  Buttoned up all wiring and safety features, built new overhead tower structures, installed new switch cabinets and oversaw generator rehab and backup transformer installations.

Highway 24 Sidewalk Project:  Successfully advocated for new sidewalk from Casey’s General Store south to the overhead bridge through Green Hills Regional Planning Commission TAC program.  The communities of Keytesville and Brunswick were also mentioned in commission meetings and they too received right-of-way sidewalk projects/grants.

Water Plant and Raw Water Well Upgrades:  Oversaw aerator upgrade, clarifier painting, piping rehabilitation, filter media change, clearwell cleaning and lime feed mechanism improvements at the Salisbury Water Plant.  Contracted the pump cleaning and increase pumping capacity at the City Wells.  In charge of building new electrical component boxes to run said wells.  Replaced underground primary wiring to overhead at old airport for easier troubleshooting and repair.  Installed new poles in between older ones that were placed too far apart on well electric line.  Upgrades two of the three wells to go from pumping 250gpm to 350gpm to better serve the community and be better prepared for high use periods.

Chariton County Agri-Ready Designation:  Worked with Missouri Farmers Care and Mr. Bill Jackson to get designation for Chariton County.  Wanted to be the first County to have such credentialing but ended up being number six after careful County Commission consideration. 

Highway 24 Bridges Advocate:  Lobbied and got approval for new bridges to be placed east of Salisbury and across the Musslefork west of Keytesville on Highway 24 as the Chariton County Liaison to the Missouri Department of Transportation’s, Transportation Advisory Committee. 

Small Business Economic Activities:  (Some of which through the association with Moberly Area Economic Development) Played either a minor or major role in the following economic activities for the community; new Orscheln building (now Tractor Supply), Agrivision, new Casey’s in Salisbury and Keytesville, Hwy 24 Storage and Mini Market, Industrial Park Designation, Guardian Containers, Gesling Produce building to medical clinic (now Chariton Valley Medical Clinic)

Lead Service Line Inventory Grant:  Applied for and received grant through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources ARPA grant program.  Total grant amount was $100,000 with a twenty percent match.  Grant funds to be used for the mandated lead service line inventory which is now a required Missouri state law.  Project was completed in accordance with state guidelines prior to retirement.  

Most Notable Events:  Ice storm of 2002 obtained FEMA grant for $120,000 to help pay for damages, the three storms of 2023, major storm of 2024,