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The tax is due to expire at the end of next June unless voters approve renewing it. An April 2010 election is tentatively planned on the measure. It will be up to the city council to decide to place the issue on the ballot.
The bridge committee's idea was to get the preliminary design completed and "on the shelf" in the event that construction funding for a new bridge becomes available in a few years.
However, at Monday's meeting of the Washington Area Highway and Transportation Committee, Stratman said "statutorily," the city can't apply capital sales tax money for such a study because the city does not own the bridge.
"The law doesn't allow us to use it (sales tax funds) on something the city doesn't own," Stratman said. That is the opinion of City Administrator Jim Briggs who also consulted with City Counselor Mark Piontek, Stratman said.
Darren Lamb, director of planning and engineering, said the committee felt that a new bridge is a project the community would support
"We felt that there is no project that would have a bigger impact on the community than the bridge," Lamb told the committee.
The bridge committee threw out a preliminary figure of $1.5 million for the preliminary engineering and design study.
Lamb said when funding becomes available for a new bridge, the city likely will be asked to provide some type of cost-sharing on the project.
The city of Hermann, for example, contributed funds for lighting on the new Missouri River bridge built there a couple of years ago, he pointed out.
"We want to take every opportunity to move the project along," Lamb said.
When the existing bridge was built in the mid-1930s, it was a city bridge, Stratman said. The Missouri Department of Transportation took it over for maintenance after the debt on the bridge was paid off, he noted. Bonds to build the bridge were retired through toll charges.
The mayor said he supports finding a way to fund the preliminary design. "We need to look at all the options."
"It's important to complete the preliminary design. That could speed up the project," remarked Bill Miller Sr., committee member.
"If funding becomes available, we would be ahead of the curve," Lamb said.
Stratman said the city may be able to move funds around in the budget to fund the design work, but that decision would have to be made by the council.
For example, he said, the city is allowed by state law to spend up to 10 percent of its general fund budget on roads that lead into and out of the city. That would equal between $800,000 and $900,000 annually. The city then may be able to replace those funds with sales tax revenue.
"That will be an item for discussion in the sales tax meetings," the mayor said. "We will continue to look at all options.
A major rehabilitation project on the existing bridge should be finished by the end of the year. It's designed to maintain the integrity of the bridge for another eight to 10 years.
State officials said replacement of the bridge is a priority and don't want to see another full rehabilitation project.
A new bridge is in the regional long-range transportation plan but no funds are earmarked for the project through 2035.
