Chillicothe City Council members took action on two matters during their first meeting of the new year in the Council Chambers at City Hall Monday evening.

Council members approved the low bids for relocating a generator from the old prison property on Third Street to the municipal airport, and for a new utility vehicle for the Department of Emergency Services.

Fellhoelter Electric, Inc., of Chillicothe, was the lowest of two bids submitted for the generator relocation project. The generator was left behind by the Missouri Department of Corrections after the department’s operations relocated to a new facility in north Chillicothe. The generator will be taken to the airport and used as a backup system. The total cost for relocating the unit is $18,369.50.

Also Monday, the council approved the purchase of a 2009 Dodge Durango SLT, V6 for $23,500 from Woody's Automotive Group for use by the Chillicothe Fire Department. Three other bids from two other companies were submitted. Councilman-at-Large Darrel Rinehart Jr. (employed by Woody's) was excused from the meeting during the discussion and vote.

During the council's workshop meeting held prior to the regular meeting, the council members heard a report from Ron Urton of the city's contracted engineering firm of Shafer, Kline, & Warren. Urton said that work is being done on the second phase of the Third Street project and that he should be ready to put the project out for bids by the end of January. The second phase calls for a 30' wide concrete street with curb and gutter from Brunswick Street to Vine Street with some storm drainage work.

Mayor Chuck Haney presided over Monday night's regular meeting with the full council present. During the comment period at the end of the meeting, council members, along with the city administration and mayor, applauded the city street crew workers for the job they did during the heavy snowstorms during the last weeks. They also complimented employees from other departments, including the emergency services, police, and refuse for the jobs performed during the inclement weather.

During executive session follows the meeting, council members approved the hiring of David McCracken of Dawn as a part-time airport employee.