City Beat: Council approves sewers despite neighborhood protest

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Council approves sewers despite neighborhood protest|ret||ret||tab|

City Council unanimously approved in its May 15 meeting a resolution declaring the construction of sanitary sewers necessary for about 200 homes in the neighborhoods of Hickory Hills Country Club District, Hickory Village, White Oak and White Oak, First Addition, despite nearly three hours of protests from residents of the neighborhoods who said their septic tanks are not polluting the environment, and they see no need to be connected to the city sewer system. |ret||ret||tab|

Councilwoman Teri Hacker addressed the environmental factor and read a letter from Bruce Martin of the Department of Natural Resources to Director of Public Works Bob Schaefer that encouraged Schaefer and the Public Works Department to continue efforts to provide all residents of Springfield with a connection to city's central sewer collection and the system. |ret||ret||tab|

Addressing a resident who spoke against the sewers, Councilman Tom Carlson said council had to consider the long-term effects of septic tanks on the entire community of Springfield.|ret||ret||tab|

While most of the speakers to the council were against installing the sewers, one supported them and a few were not against the sewers per se, but were opposed to the payment plan the city proposed the residents use, which must be qualified for and involves the city having a lien on each property for up to 40 years. |ret||ret||tab|

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Keep those trees trimmed|ret||ret||tab|

Council also unanimously approved an amended dangerous tree ordinance to provide for penalties to property owners who do not maintain tree limbs. |ret||ret||tab|

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Rezoning issue on Lone Pine tabled|ret||ret||tab|

A second reading bill to rezone about 5 1/3 acres at the southeast corner of Lone Pine and Southern Hills Boulevard from a single family residential district to a planned development district was tabled for two weeks. |ret||ret||tab|

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Special Business District could get more funding|ret||ret||tab|

Bills for public hearing included a special ordinance adopting the city's budget for fiscal year 2000-2001 and a special ordinance levying a tax and adopting a budget for current expenses of the Special Business District. |ret||ret||tab|

A general ordinance amending Chapter 2 of the City Code by adopting new fees for certain city services in order to recover all or part of the cost thereof was heard. |ret||ret||tab|

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City may use outside counsel in certain |ret||ret||tab|

litigation issues|ret||ret||tab|

An ordinance authorizing the city attorney to employ outside legal counsel to represent city employees who are sued in their individual capacity while acting on behalf of the city when the city law department has a conflict of interest in representing such employees or officers, provided the employee has not engaged in willful or wanton neglect of duty or malfeasance or other similar appropriate behavior was also heard. |ret||ret||tab|

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City may amend its health care plan, |ret||ret||tab|

Public Building Corporation|ret||ret||tab|

Another public hearing was a bill amending Chapter 2 of the City Code to make changes in the city's health care plan for employees, and a bill authorizing and approving certain documents and authorizing the taking of certain actions by the city in connection with the Public Building Corporation of the city of $10.3 million aggregate principal to fund a reserve fund and authorizing other actions in connection with the issuance of said bonds and declaring an emergency. |ret||ret||tab|

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DNR to work with city on water |ret||ret||tab|

contamination issues|ret||ret||tab|

First reading items on the consent agenda included a special ordinance authorizing the city manager on behalf of the city to enter into a license agreement with Environmental Works Inc. to allow installation of a monitoring well on city right-of-way at the southwest corner of Grand Street and Grant Avenue in connection with a groundwater contamination study being performed under the supervision of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. |ret||ret||tab|

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City to work with Drury on cable |ret||ret||tab|

rights-of-way, county sheriff department|ret||ret||tab|

A special ordinance authorizing the city manager on behalf of the city to enter into an agreement with Drury University for the installation and maintenance of communication conduit and cable within city rights-of-way was heard. An ordinance authorizing the city manager on behalf of the city to enter into a memorandum of understanding with Greene County whereby the Public Works service center will furnish minor repair services for law enforcement motor vehicles of the Greene County Sheriff Department during evenings and on weekends with payment for such services to be made by Greene County was removed from the agenda and tabled for two weeks. |ret||ret||tab|

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Pickwick to close for street fair, Fremont intersection to be improved|ret||ret||tab|

One reading items on the consent agenda were a resolution authorizing the closing of Pickwick Avenue from Cherry Street to Monroe from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 10 for the Pickwick Street Fair and a resolution approving the plans, specifications and the bid of Hartman & Company Inc. for the construction of Fremont Avenue and Sunset Street intersection improvements. |ret||ret||tab|

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Second reading bills favor Jordan Valley Park, homeless shelters|ret||ret||tab|

Second reading bills on the consent agenda included condemning property in fee in the area of 1405 E. St. Louis and 1050 E. Trafficway for Jordan Valley Park. Another bill approved the preliminary plat of Park Crest Meadows and a third authorized the city manager to apply for and accept $75,000 in emergency shelter grant funds within the Missouri Department of Social Services, Division of Family Services for the purpose of subgranting said grant funds for eligible service providers in the city for sheltering the homeless. [[In-content Ad]]