On the Edges

Nixa

Planning & Zoning seeks members

Three new members of the Planning & Zoning Commission are needed in Nixa. Members must be able to attend a meeting at 7 p.m. the first Monday of each month, the week before the Board of Aldermen meets. In the past year, P&Z meetings have been canceled or rescheduled due to a lack of a quorum, according to Brian Bingle, planning and development manager.

"State statutes say a quorum is needed to forward any action to the Board of Aldermen," Bingle said. "The city is looking for community members who reflect the general makeup of the municipality and have the ability to assess issues. We need citizens with a keen interest in the community's well-being. Community health, safety and welfare is what the P&Z commission is all about."

The Board of Aldermen appoints citizens to the P&Z Commission, and it recently voted to eliminate the mayor and a single alderman from the board to remove any possible conflict-of-interest issues. The P&Z board reviews planning and zoning codes, plat proposals and zoning or rezoning applications. City staff provides indoctrination training for P&Z board members on planning and zoning issues and codes.

The commission's decisions are forwarded to the Board of Aldermen for final approval.

Terms of service are four years, and more information is available by calling 725-5850. Bingle said he hopes to fill the spots by late September and have a full nine-member quorum by Oct. 4.

Ozark

Ozark Weekly News begins publishing

Chuck and Karen Branch, owners of the Springfield Gazette, published their first issue of the Ozark Weekly News Aug. 27. Editor Karen Branch said the free community newspaper boasts "total market coverage," and will be mailed to each postal patron in the 65721 ZIP code.

The paper will also be available at retail and community locations for a total circulation of about 9,000. The tall tabloid newspaper will feature full color on the front page and will be printed by the Marshfield Mail, printers of the Springfield Gazette.

Branch said the paper will cover only Ozark. Community news, local events, business and political news, school news, local sports, business and individual profiles, and a calendar of events will be featured in each Friday's newspaper.

Business news will be a priority, and a home and garden page will also be featured. Branch said response by advertisers has been excellent. The paper's staff will work out of the Springfield Gazette offices on South Campbell Avenue in Springfield until office space is found in Ozark.

"We live in Ozark, so it's a natural fit for us to have a paper in the community we live in. Ozark is a great community with great schools and a great park system. There are so many good things about Ozark, and we want to get that out to the citizens," Branch said.

The Ozark Weekly News phone number is 581-1616.

ELW Paging offers Alltel services

A new Alltel cellular and paging service opened July 1 at 909 W. Jackson in the Riverview Plaza shopping center. A ribbon cutting with the Ozark Area Chamber of Commerce was held Aug. 17. Owners Ed and Annette Williams offer paging systems, Alltel cellular equipment and activation, police scanners, weather alerts, radios and other communication devices.

The phone number is 581-8294 and the hours are 9 a.m.-5-30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday.

Ed Williams formerly worked in Motorola services for 25 years, and Annette Williams was in banking. ELW Paging is the first Alltel location in Ozark, according to Annette Williams.