A clear audio reading of my letter to the City of Ozark about the $100,000 LiDAR drone and the $18.1 million Police Headquarters project in the Capital Improvement Program.
https://ozarkmissouri.com/DocumentCenter/View/10142/CIP---FINAL-VERSION?
Subject: Concerns Regarding CIP Drone Purchase and Police Headquarters Project
Chandra Hodges
City Clerk
City of Ozark, Missouri
Dear Ms. Hodges,
Please provide printed copies of this letter to the Mayor, all members of the Board of Aldermen, the City Administrator, and one copy for public record.
1. LiDAR Drone – Project PW‑11‑2026
My name is Buddy Huggins, and I have lived in Ozark for twelve years. I began surveying with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at age 17 and later worked in heavy industrial construction, including paper mills and power plants. I am familiar with LiDAR, photogrammetry, and precision mapping equipment.
A LiDAR drone is not a simple tool. It requires specialized training, certification, and years of experience to operate correctly. The City’s plan to purchase a $100,000 Carlson Hawkeye UAV in 2028 is not practical for our current staff. No one in Public Works or GIS has the surveying background required to operate, calibrate, or process LiDAR data.
Without that expertise, this drone would sit unused, becoming a very expensive piece of equipment that provides no benefit to the community.
If the City needs LiDAR or photogrammetry data, the responsible and cost‑effective approach is to rent the equipment or hire a qualified contractor on the specific days it is needed. This avoids unnecessary spending and ensures the data collected is accurate and professionally processed.
I respectfully request that the City remove the LiDAR drone from the CIP and replace it with a rental or contract‑service line item.
2. Police Department Headquarters – Project PD‑01‑2026
The proposed new Police Headquarters is listed at a total cost of $18.1 million. Of that amount, only $800,000 is currently funded. This means more than 95% of the project is unfunded.
As someone with decades of experience in large‑scale construction, I know that major facilities require a complete financial plan before they are approved. At this time, the City has not presented a funding strategy, cost‑benefit analysis, or long‑term financial impact assessment for this project.
Before committing to a 25‑year police headquarters plan, the public deserves a clear explanation of how this project will be financed, how it fits into the City’s long‑term budget, and whether alternative solutions have been considered.
I respectfully request that the City pause advancement of this project until a full funding plan is developed and presented to the public.
Thank you for your time and attention. Please include this letter in the meeting materials for the Board of Aldermen.
Sincerely,
Buddy Huggins
Ozark, Missouri
#OzarkMissouri #OzarkMO #OzarkCityHall #OzarkBoardMeeting #CapitalImprovementProgram #OzarkPoliceDepartment #CityBudget #PublicWorks #LiDARDrone #CommunityTransparency #BuddyHuggins
