Elk Street Drainage Improvement Approved.

The Elk Street drainage and street improvement project was approved by the Carthage City Council during Tuesday evening's meeting.

In a 9 - 0 vote (with Council Member Art Dunaway and Mayor Kenneth Johnson absent) the Council voted to allow the City to enter into contract with Southard Construction for $92,323.

(See the Thursday, January 7th issue of the Mornin' Mail for more details.)

The project was originally budgeted at $35,000. Council Member Jackie Boyer said the project increased in cost as the scope widened. She said the increase is necessary because it is "more economical to do all of the phases of the project at this time."

Council Member Charlie Bastin questioned the need for this expense and the problem with it being over budgeting.

"I think the budget supersedes a lot of the things that we are able to do," said Bastin.

Council Member Tricia Brewer explained this was a necessary expense for the city.

"Charlie, if we don't pass this bill, Mrs. (Lucille) Culley's house might not be here with the next storm," said Brewer.

"Lucille Culley's house has literally almost floated away during the last five years," Brewer explained to the Mornin' Mail. "She has had a boat in her yard, she has had water up to the top of her basement. Not just a foot deep, but almost to the bottom of her house, it has been really severe."

Brewer said the water drainage problem was not limited to Culley's property. It also affected Lester McCall's property and several businesses in this area, including the Faith Lutheran Church, Mercantile Bank, and Tony William's State Farm Agency.

Brewer says that Mercantile Bank and Faith Lutheran Church are providing the City with financial assistance for above the budget costs.

"This is a very significant accomplishment for the City Council," Brewer said. "I only wish Lester McCall was here to see the vote." Brewer explained that McCall died within the past two months.

In other business, Council members approved in a 8-1 vote to approve Council Bill 99-01 which authorizes Mayor Johnson to execute a contract between the City and American Commercial Property. This is for the purchase of 9.3 acres of land for $850,000 in the Myers Park Subdivision Development.

According to the terms of the contract, an earnest money deposit of $5,000 is due with the approval of the contract. Americom now has 120 days to inspect the property, with the closing occurring within 15 days at the end of the inspection period.

Americom can extend the closing date for three additional 30 day periods by making a nonrefundable $10,000 deposit for each extension. The balance of the purchase price would be due upon closing.

Bastin raised objections to the City entering into this land contract.

"I've been really struggling with this issue," explained Bastin. "First of all, it is a matter of conscience, I guess mine works overtime, but I can't get around clause number 10 in the contract."

Paragraph number 10 states: "Risk Of Loss: The property shall be held at risk of Seller until legal title has passed and possession has been given to Buyer."

"I can't help but think of a scenario, in which case, the litigants to the airport lawsuit should be successful, then the city could be conceivably sued if we can't deliver the property, or if the proper title can't be delivered to the buyer.

"So as a matter of conscious, I'd like to vote yes, but I think I'll have to vote no."

Bastin also reminded Council Members that Edna Myers' original bequest to Carthage stipulated that the land be used for either a park or an airport.

"Out of respect, and honor and tribute, I think we still owe that to Mrs. Edna Myers," said Bastin. "Maybe this is old fashioned, and this was 60 or 70 years ago, but I'm going to have to hold up to those principles and vote no."

City Attorney David Mouton informed Bastin that the wording found in Paragraph 10, in his opinion is in regards a risk of loss of the buildings on the property before final purchase is completed due to natural disasters.

Council Member Donna Harlan said that while she agreed with Bastin, the City is moving forward to secure purchase of land for a new airport.

City Administrator Tom Short, reported that initial property surveys for the airport land acquisition has been completed by Tri-State Engineering, and that a search is currently underway for an appraiser.

The City is working on the land acquisition project in conjunction with Bucher, Willis and Ratliff Corporation out of Kansas City, Missouri.

Property Transactions

Robert H. Knell, Jr. and Kathy J. Knell, husband and wife sold the property commonly known as: 1112 Hawthorne, Carthage, MO 64836 to Michael D. Stone and Lari L. Stone, husband and wife.

The transaction was handled by Carolyn Cole with Donal M. Myers Realty and Linda Baily with Realty Executives.

Jesse T. Jeffries and Vera Mae Jeffries, Co-Trustees of the Jesse and Vera Jeffries Family Trust UTA June 14, 1994 sold the property commonly known as 9628 Geranium Rd., Carthage, MO 64836 to Robin L. Darrow and Lynne M. Darrow, husband and wife.

The transaction was handled by Pete Randall with Donal M. Myers Realty and Kent Neil with Re/Max Carthage.

Don LeRoy Bowen sold the property at 215 West 9th, Carthage, MO 64836 to Mitch L. Tusinger, Jack L. Tusinger, and Charolett Tusinger.

Just Jake Talkin'
Mornin',

They say the trick to rabbit huntin' is to have a dog that never quite catches up to the rabbit. The furry little critters have a habit of runnin' in a big circle and comin' back to cross their tracks. The idea is to confuse any varmit that is chasin' 'em. The hunter is supposed to stay put and wait as the dog works his way through the hedge rows. Eventually, the theory is, the rabbit will come back by for an easy shot.

Havin' a dog, as a kid, and always thinkin' that rabbit huntin' would be great sport, I went in search of the wascally wabbit. Unfortunately, the dog had not read the sportin' magazine that I had. He'd take out after the rabbit all right, but eventually I would have to go find the mut out sniffin' in a rat nest or barkin' at some squirrel up a tree.

'Course there is a chance that the rabbit wrote the real story.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin'.

by

Metcalf Auto Supply

Click and Clack Talk Cars.

Dear Tom and Ray:

Besides complaining about my driving, my wife complains about how I park. She says when I park facing downhill I should put my gear shift in Reverse. And when I'm parking uphill, I should put the shifter in First gear. She says that the engine doesn't want to turn backwards. And if my brakes fail while I'm parked on a hill, the car is less likely to roll away if I park this way. Does any of this really matter?-Carl.

RAY: Sure it matters, Fred. My brother used to think this stuff didn't matter. Then one day his parked car rolled down a hill into Tony "The Leg Breaker" Testosteroni's brand-new Coupe DeVille. And from his hospital bed that summer, my brother did a lot of reading up on parking techniques.

TOM: And here's what I learned. When you have a stick-shift car and you're parking on a hill, you need several things to keep the car from rolling. You need an engine with good compression, a clutch that doesn't slip, a parking brake that works, and you need to put the shifter in Reverse.

RAY: Why Reverse? So you can make a quick getaway from Tony "The Leg Breaker" Testosteroni after you smash into his car!

TOM: Actually, Reverse gear generally has the largest gear ratio in the transmission. That means that the wheels have to turn the greatest number of times to make the engine turn once. And that's what you want-you want to make it as hard as possible for the wheels to turn the engine.

RAY: Is the engine less likely to turn backwards? No. The engine doesn't care if it's turning backwards or forward. It'll readily turn either way. So you really want the highest gear ratio, and that's almost always reverse (and First is usually very close to that.)

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