Hall Renovation Bill Scheduled.

The City Council is scheduled to meet this evening at 7:30 in City Hall for its regular meeting.

The agenda includes Council bill 01-85 which would authorize a contract with R.E. Smith Construction in the amount of $1.07 million for the partial renovation of Memorial Hall.

The Mayor has requested that a written explanation be attached to the bill detailing why the Council did not accept the low bid for the project.

A related Council bill, 01-88, is also scheduled for first reading to adjust the budget to fund the project.

The Council budgeted $404,703 in this year’s budget for the project with the anticipation of grants in the amount of $200,000 in addition to the $604,700 granted by the Missouri Veterans Commission. When the $200,000 in additional grants failed to materialize, the Budget/Ways and Means Committee approved a recommendation of the Public Services Committee to transfer funds from other budgeted items to make up the difference. The additional $200,000 will be made up from a grant of $30,000 to the American Legion from the Boylan Foundation; $15,000 from the Bridge/Overpass Repair fund; $10,000 from the Third Street improvement project; $37,050 from the Hall operating budget and funds allocated for asbestos removal; and $115,000 of funds allocated for the roundabout at Airport Drive and the Fairview Avenue interchange. A grant from the State for street improvements is anticipated to recoup the $115,000.

The Council is also scheduled to hear the first reading of Council bill 01-86 which would allow the issuance of a license where intoxicating beverages have been sold within one year preceding application even if the business is within 300 foot of a church, school or regular place of worship.

Commentary

Martin "Bubs" Hohulin
State Representative, District 126

The big news around the nation this week has been the anthrax incidents and I guess we aren’t immune here in the heartland either.

There have been a couple reports of anthrax in state office buildings, but they have turned out to be false alarms. It is hard to imagine the terrorists would be targeting the Midwest, but I imagine we should all be a little more on guard. I want to hasten to say that we should not be overreacting and panicking.

Security has been heightened at the Capitol. Picture Ids are now required to enter the building through the employees parking garage and the public entrance has 3 officers posted outside. In addition there are two metal detectors to get into the building.

Sure is a far cry from when people could come and go at all hours without any questions.

Thanks for the many letters and emails you have been sending to KOMU television station regarding their no ribbon policy. I have still been talking to the University President and Chancellor regarding this issue. They are really digging their heels in on this. They may find that the taxpayers’ money they have come to depend on may not be there when it comes time for their new budget year.

I am kind of jumping around on this column, trying to cover a variety of subjects at once.

I was notified last week that I was appointed to an interim committee to study fire department district laws. I have been spending some time familiarizing myself with that particular section of the law. I will be visiting some of the fire departments in the area to get their ideas on what needs to be changed or kept.

If any of you have any ideas on what changes, if any, should be made, please contact my office.

We will be holding four meetings around the state on this issue. If you are interested in a schedule, please contact my office.

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.

Letters to the Editor
Opinions expressed reflect those of the writer
and not necessarily those of the Mornin' Mail.

I was recently reviewing past issues of your Mornin' Mail. I read of the City Council's intention to significantly remodel the Memorial Hall building. Since the Memorial Hall building is located within the historic district, the City will be required by ordinance to obtain a "Certificate of Appropriateness" prior to initiating the project. The ordinance outlines the procedure which must be followed to obtain the certificate. This may be an interesting question for your news publication.

It is my understanding that the current plans call for the installation of an interior elevator.

Several years ago, Elliott Hunter mentioned a much more cost effective method of installing an elevator shaft on the outside of the building going to the second floor combined with a ramp into the basement. Nevertheless, the construction of an interior elevator will damage the visual effect of the "Carthage Marble" as well as the historical significance of the architecture.

Mike Randall

Former Carthage City Administrator

Year after year during Maple Leaf I have been asked the same question "Why does a city like Carthage allow trash in yards?" Each year I have to say "I don't know." So here it is, another year and I still don't have a good answer.

I do not understand why a very few houses can have trash and junk cars in their yards and keep getting away with it. It has and does cause neighbors to move and takes down the property value of all the houses in the block. If anyone has a good answer I would really like to know what it is.

Donita Mills

Carthage, MP

Maple Leaf is over and Halloween is on it’s way. Traditionally, it’s also time for the Christmas decorations to begin’ showin’ up on the light poles (although they won’t light up until sometime in November).

This year Main Street Carthage has set up two events for the kids for Halloween. The first will be this Saturday afternoon startin’ at 11:30 a.m. and runnin’ ‘till 3:30 p.m.

There’ll be hayrides, magic, costume contests and other activities for the kids and an excuse for the parents to get in on the fun.

On Halloween afternoon the merchants on the Square will be handin’ out candy from 3:30 until 5:30. Always a great way for the kids to parade around and show off their outfits. Always a fun way to enjoy my favorite holiday.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

McCune- Brooks Hospital

Health Notes

Health & Nutrition by Judith Sheldon

WINTER HAZARD: It’s not snow or ice, or skiing or skating. Rather, it’s indoor tanning.

For some reason, there are still some people who think having a tan makes them look healthy even though they know they are at risk for developing potentially disfiguring, as well as fatal, skin cancers.

Dr. James M. Spencer of the University of Miami and Dr. Rex A. Amonette, of the University of Tennessee in Memphis detailed the short and long-term effects seen among patients who patronize indoor tanning facilities or who use similar lights and equipment in their homes.

They report that suntanning, and especially indoor tanning, has no health advantages at all, only negative health consequences.

These can be either short term - redness, dryness, itching, nausea - or long term, which include wrinkles, sagging, rashes from the interaction of common medications and intense light, photoaging, skin cancers, or even unusual diseases such as polymorphic light eruption (PLE).

Tanning rays can also damage the elastic fibers in the dermal layer which give the skin its ability to bounce back. Lose that, and you gain sagging skin that wrinkles and stays that way.