Crystal City Looks Toward Broader Infrastructure Plan as Bailey Road Water Main Problems Continue
Repeated water-main breaks along Bailey Road could lead Crystal City officials to take a broader look at the city’s water, street and infrastructure needs rather than continuing to address problem areas one project at a time.
The issue became one of the largest discussions during the Crystal City Council’s Sept. 28 meeting, as Public Works Director Daniel Turner outlined problems with a six-inch water main along Bailey Road and city officials discussed beginning the engineering work needed to determine what a larger infrastructure package could include.
Bailey Road Water Main Raises Concerns
Turner told the council the troublesome section of water main was installed around 1978 and has experienced repeated failures.
“We’ve had three breaks on that six-inch line in that area since last summer,” Turner said, adding that two of the breaks resulted in major pressure drops throughout the system.
Turner said the problematic six-inch main runs along the south side of Bailey Road toward Little League Drive.
He explained that when crews expose the pipe, it does not show the type of interior deterioration they might normally expect from an older water line. Instead, workers have found cracking in the pipe itself.
Turner said research into pipe manufactured during that era raised the possibility that the line could include imported cast iron, although he did not say the city had confirmed the manufacturer or cause of the failures.
The discussion quickly expanded beyond repairing that single section.
City officials discussed using engineering work to determine whether the existing six- and eight-inch mains in the area should remain or whether the system could be redesigned with larger piping. They also discussed looking at streets and other infrastructure needs at the same time.
Officials said the city may need to look at an overall infrastructure package rather than continuing to handle projects piece by piece.
City Administrator Jason Eisenbeis said the scope and cost of a larger project would need to be examined and noted that the city may ultimately have to consider financing options if the work expands beyond a single road or water line.
Turner said the city has also been considering an RFP for on-call engineering services, particularly to give Crystal City access to an engineer with water-system expertise. Council members asked him to begin gathering information on possible options.
Police Chief Discusses Flock Cameras and Privacy
The council also spent several minutes discussing Crystal City’s use of Flock license-plate reader cameras and the privacy concerns surrounding the technology.
Police Chief Chad Helms said Crystal City currently pays approximately $6,000 per year for three cameras and has access to a fourth through a partnership.
Helms described the cameras as an important investigative tool used in cases ranging from thefts and burglaries to missing persons and runaway juveniles.
“It’s been a big investigative tool for us,” Helms said.
Council discussion also turned to the privacy concerns that have accompanied the technology.
Helms said the department is working on a written policy governing use of the system while assuring the council that access is already limited within the department.
City officials indicated Crystal City’s existing practices already follow many of the restrictions being discussed at the state level, but putting those procedures into a formal written policy remains underway.
Property Tax Rate Increases Less Than One Percent
Before the regular meeting, the city held a public hearing on its property tax levy for the 2026-27 fiscal year, covering the city’s general, library and park revenue funds.
Eisenbeis told the council the overall change in the tax rate was less than 1 percent. He estimated the change would amount to approximately $2 on a home valued at $200,000.
Council members later approved the levy unanimously.
Additional Stormwater Work Approved
Council members also approved an additional $22,742 contract with SAK Construction related to the city’s 2025 Community Development Block Grant stormwater project.
Officials explained that additional work was identified after the contractor examined the system. The project requires another manhole and work associated with a transition in stormwater piping from 24 inches to 36 inches.
The measure passed without opposition.
Environmental Access Agreement Extended
The council also approved extending an access agreement with PPG Industries through Sept. 28, 2028.
The agreement allows continued access to certain property in Crystal City as part of Missouri’s Voluntary Cleanup Program. Council members were told upcoming work could include wetland delineation, boundary surveys and eventually soil sampling.
Officials characterized the action as an extension of an existing arrangement rather than a new project.
Crystal Shards Project Still Targeting November Opening
Building and Planning Director Mandy LaBrier also updated the council on the Crystal Shards project at 26 Mississippi Avenue.
LaBrier said the project was still targeting a November opening.
Questions were raised about the condition of the roadway around the construction site. LaBrier said she had discussed the issue with the construction team and that the developer planned to make repairs at its expense, including work around the stamped-brick area associated with Crystal City’s cobblestone character.
“They are planning on repairing the road at their expense,” LaBrier said.
City Adds New Resident Alert System
Crystal City is also beginning implementation of a new communications system designed to make it easier to send residents alerts about water-main breaks and other city issues.
Eisenbeis said city departments recently completed their first training and will be able to create alerts that can quickly reach the appropriate employees and residents.
The system is expected to cost approximately $5,000 annually and includes roughly 50,000 messages, with unused messages carrying forward.
Officials said residents should receive information about how to participate as implementation continues.
Paving Wraps Up, Park Board Appointment Approved
Mayor Mike Osher also reported that the city’s fall paving project had wrapped up on Parkview, with officials saying the project came in under expectations and could leave room for additional work.
The council also approved Kelsie Eisenbeis to serve on the Park Board.
The Bailey Road discussion is expected to continue as city officials gather information about engineering options and consider whether Crystal City should move toward a larger, coordinated infrastructure plan rather than addressing individual water and street problems separately.