Two absent members affected yesterday’s Charleston City Council meeting proceeding differently than usual.

Council member Larry Rennels was on vacation, and Mayor John Inyart could not attend due to a death in the family.

Lorelei Sims was voted to sit in for Inyart to preside over the meeting.

“I don’t get a say in this?” Sims asked jokingly after she was appointed. “Please be patient with me. This is a surprise.”

Because there were only three members present, the minutes, payroll and bills payable had to be voted on individually instead of being approved together through the consent agenda.

A raffle permit request on the agenda was not voted on because all five council members are needed for an approval, said Brian Bower, city attorney.

However, three major construction bid awards were approved at the meeting.

The council approved a bid by A.J. Walker Construction of Mattoon to replace the Jackson Avenue Bridge near Kiwanis Park. The company is the lone bidder, with a bid of $702,029. The project is slated to begin in spring.

Council also approved the asphalt overlay surfacing project on Sixth and Seventh streets from Lincoln to Jackson Avenues. The low bid on the project was from Ne-Co Asphalt Co., which beat Howell Asphalt Co. with a bid of $260,110.

Ne-Co also got the bid to resurface two parking lots around the Charleston City Hall building. Its bid was $52,205 combined for both lots.

At the end of the meeting, Charleston’s Water Treatment Plant Superintendent Bill Bosler gave a 20-minute presentation on the plant, located at 2600 McKinley Ave.

During the presentation, Bosler explained how the plant workers ended a 25-year taste and odor problem by installing a special ozone generation and treatment system.

Bosler said before they built the new plant in 2005, he would get around 10 to 15 complaints a month about Charleston’s water.

“Since day one that we have started the plant, my phone has not rang one time with a taste and odor complaint,” Bosler said.

Sims agreed with Bosler.

“Since the city of Charleston passed that referendum and got the money to make this facility, we have had excellent drinking water,” she said.

City council meetings are held the first and third Tuesdays of every month at 7:30 p.m. and are open to anyone who wishes to attend.

The council meets in Charleston City Hall, located at 520 Jackson Ave.

Lorelei Sims sat for mayor John Inyart to preside of the city council meeting Tuesday evening at the Municipa Building downtown Charleston. Sims was filling in because Mayor Inyart had a death in the family.

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