Council Considerations.

The City Council is scheduled to vote on several contracts during its regular meeting this evening in City Hall at 7:30 p.m.

Council bills in second reading include an agreement with APAC-Missouri for resignalization of the Chestnut/Garrison intersection with a price of $134,807.

An agreement with Phillips-Ward in the amount of $4,000 for conducting a Community Visioning Summit is scheduled for vote.

The Council will also make final consideration of an agreement with Southwest Agency for an Seller’s Agency Agreement for Myers Park Property. The agency would handle all dealings with other real estate agents or buyers developed by the agency. The City reserves the right to sell directly to developers or individuals that approach the City directly.

An agreement with Crossland Construction for the construction of a Street Department maintenance building for a total of $186,000 will come to the Council in first reading but will contain an emergency clause. The Street Department is anxious to see the construction completed before winter weather sets in.

Commentary

Martin "Bubs" Hohulin
State Representative, District 126

Last column I wrote about was what a hoot it is to see the government get caught in its own trap.

This week it is almost as gratifying to see a labor union in the same situation. The Missouri arm of the National Education Association (MNEA) has locked out its union employees from their offices after the employees had voted to strike.

The MNEA is one of the largest teachers’ unions and is one of the biggest impediments to quality education in America today. In the past they have pushed for homosexual agendas and the boycotting of Florida orange juice as part of their agenda.

Those are not items one would normally associate with education. The employees of the MNEA belong to the Missouri Professional Staff Organization. The employees were organized into unions as a model to show the school districts that they don’t have to be afraid of unions. I guess that plan worked to perfection!

Oddly enough the employees are striking over some of the very things that the MNEA demands for its members. The question that comes to mind is; if it is good for MNEA members, then why isn’t it good enough for their employees. Could it be that the same demands the MNEA has made of school boards and taxpayers are just too unreasonable for the MNEA itself to handle? If it is too unreasonable for the MNEA, then wouldn’t it also be too unreasonable for the school boards and taxpayers of Missouri?

I will admit to having been at odds many times with the leadership of the MNEA. I have had several teachers that I greatly respect tell me that they belong to the MNEA so they can get the insurance benefits. I can understand that completely. The folks running the organization and the activists are a different story.

The difference in the two teachers’ organizations in Missouri are like night and day. When the Missouri State Teachers Association members come to the Capitol their requests are reasonable and most of the time have the well being of the students at the forefront. As I said before, the demands of the MNEA are unreasonable and rarely, if ever, have the students’ best interests at heart. It is good to see them get a taste of their own medicine.

As usual, I can be reached at House Post Office, State Capitol, Jefferson City, MO 65101, or 1-800-878-7126, or mhohulin@services.state.mo.us for your questions, comments, or advice.

The Special Services Committee, which oversees the Parks and Recreation Department, is makin’ an effort to keep the Kellogg Lake area in better shape.

One of the avenues they are pursuing is to have the midnight closing for all parks more strictly enforced.

If you remember, this was used several years ago with some success. It did create a minor uproar with those who like to do some late night cat fishin’ at the lake. In response, the then Park Board, put in place a special permit for fishin’ only after midnight. Accordin’ to the discussion at last week’s Committee meetin’, the permits will be continued. They are issued (no cost) through the Park Department if you’re interested.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

McCune- Brooks Hospital

Health Notes

Health & Nutrition by Judith Sheldon

NOTHING TO SNEEZE AT: Allergies can be more than annoying; they can be dangerous, especially if you are among the almost two million Americans who have asthma as well as allergies to ragweed pollen, spores, and other substances. When these allergies are triggered to produce symptoms such as itchy watery eyes, sneezing, runny or stuffy and/or itchy noses, the effects may be simply uncomfortable or may lead to dangerous asthma attacks.

Air conditioning filters out most pollens and other airborne allergens. (Those are the substances that can trigger allergic reactions.)

Air conditioning also helps lower indoor humidity which makes life not only more pleasant for you, but also disastrous for most mold spore. They just don’t like to reproduce under those conditions.

Forget what Mother told you about opening your window at night. Instead, sleep with your windows and outside doors closed to keep airborne pollen out.

Spend as little time outdoors as possible during high pollen counts. That means if you like to run in the morning, don’t. That’s when the pollen likes to get around as well. As much as you may enjoy gardening or tending to your lawn, avoid these activities during the pollen season.