| Today's Feature Fair Ground Buildings Get Go Ahead.
Oak Tree To Remain.
Airport Appraisal Contract
Postponed
The City Council heard several
reports from Standing Committees Tuesday night at
their regularly scheduled meeting.
After a short discussion a
motion made by Public Services Chair J.D.
Whitledge to go forward with revised plans for
future fairgrounds buildings was passed. Concerns
raised by Council member Larry Ross over the fate
of a large White Oak tree reported to be more
than 100-years old had killed a previous plan.
The revision leaves the tree intact by relocating
the buildings.
Council Bill C.B 99-24 and
99-27 which pertained to airport land appraisal
and review services for a future airport were
posponed. The delay, until the May 11th meeting
of the Council, was due to the lack of pricing
information for the services.
Newly appointed Public Safety
Chair Charlie Bastin apologized for his first and
lengthy Committee meeting saying it was
"Four minutes longer than the movie
Titanic." His Committee report included
several much discussed items including the
possibility of banning truck traffic on Francis
Street, a ‘line of sight’ problem on
Central, an ADA compliant cross walk on the south
side of the high school and possible
signalization at Garrison and Macon. Bastin also
reported the Chamber of Commerce Director,
Heather Kelly requested the square be closed to
traffic from 4:30 AM through 6:00 PM for the
Annual Sidewalk Sale July 31, and October 16th
for the Maple Leaf Festival. The Council approved
the request.
The cost of approximately $2600
for alternate summer police uniforms was approved
but funding will come out of the current
Department uniform budget.
A motion was made and passed to
accept the recommendation of promotions by Fire
Chief, John Cooper. Ron Hitchcock was promoted to
Batallion Chief, Ron Thompson to Captain, and Tom
Michael promoted to Chief Engineer.
Public Works Chair Bill Fortune
reported the expansion and possible relocation of
the Post Office will be discussed May 4th when a
postal representive will be present at the
regular Committee meeting at 5:15 in City Hall.
Discussion about the proposed side walk ordinance
has been postoned until May 18th when Gary Smith
of the US Forestry Service of Neosho will be
present to discuss trees and their impact on the
sidewalks. The last Committee item presented was
the recommendation to award the annual paving
contract to Masters and Jackson which has a
location in Joplin. The company is owned by
APAC-Missouri Inc. of Springfield.
Council Member Lujene Clark
favored accepting the slightly higher bid from
Blevins Asphalt Construction Company. The firm
has a plant just north of Carthage with
headquarters in Mt. Vernon.
"I think what
Lujene’s getting at is that we’re
losing tax money off the aggragate, is that what
you’re saying?" asked Council Member
Art Dunaway.
"Yes, but, from working
with (Street Commissioner) Tom Shelley
previously, and seeing the quality of work that
Blevins did, and since it was Tom’s
recommendation to go with Blevins, and since
Blevins uses local material which can have a
financial impact on monies, I’d like to see
all of it done local whenever possible. And,
I’m sure that it is a fine company.
"I have absolutely nothing
against this company, but given the quality of
work that we always see from Tom’s
department and how closely Tom works with
taxpayer dollars, I would prefer to see the
contract go to Blevins."
"This company is one of
the oldest asphalt companies in the state of
Missouri. I have worked many, many miles of
asphalt with them They are very good," said
the Mayor.
Council member H.J. Johnson
pointed out that since the City pays no sales
tax, the tax argument was not valid.
A representative of
APAC-Missouri, Inc. who was sitting in the
audienced addressed the council, "...The
thing that is lost, to deny the award to the low
bidder, takes away the enthuasism for responding
competitively in the future. Both are fine
companies. Both will do a fine job."
The ordinance to award the
contract will be in second reading during the
next regular Council meeting.
During the Citizens
Participation portion of the meeting Hospital
Administrator Bob Copeland presented the
Quarterly Report on the McCune-Brooks Hospital.
The proceeds from the McCune Brooks Hospital
Foundation fund raising auction totaled $26,000
according to Copeland. The funds weresplit by the
hospital and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The
hospital’s share will go toward new
computers for the nurse’s stations.
Copeland also reported that the
Steadley Trust donated $200,000 to the hospital.
The first installment will be used to replace
30-year old sterilization equipment and buy
additional IV pumps. A new physician, Dr.
Smart,will join the hospital staff in practice
with Dr. Richardson. The Annual Health Fair has
been scheduled for May 8th to coincide with
National Hospital Week.
A motion was made and passed
9-0 to accept the contract with APAC.
The final item was Resolution
No. 1419 commending Glenn Dubry for his 34-years
of sevice to the community as a member of the
Carthage Fire Department.
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