From Staff Reports
Bill Hemby is the new alderman for Puxico's ward 2. He was named to replaces Lance Hamann who resigned since he is moving out of town Hamann's resignation was accepted at the Puxico board of aldermen's May 18 meeting and his replacement Hemby was appointed.
Hemby, who will serve until April 2018, was sworn in by the city clerk.
Fire Chief Rusty Parker reported the city is in the process of purchasing property at the corner of PP Highway (East Richardson Avenue) and Cemetery Road to be used as the site of the new fire station. Bill 17-02 is a bill authorizing Puxico to purchase real estate from Kenneth and Theresa Isaac for $15,000 to be used for a fire station was approved by the aldermen. The city will pay the Isaacs $7,500 now and pay the remaining $7,500 in June, 2018.
Parker asked the board to purchase a 1997 pumper fire truck for $35,000 from the Bloomfield Fire Department. Hemby stated the truck was in good running order. The board reviewed the fire department's fund balances to determine what could be done financially. Hemby moved the city purchase the pumper truck using funds in the fire department's account balance with the remaining funds which will make its account balance a deficit to be paid back out of FY2018 funds.
While two bids on the 1986 Chevrolet fire department truck were opened, the aldermen decided to keep the truck to be used by the dog catcher if one is hired.
While the aldermen discussed hiring a dog catcher or animal control officer no decision was made. The salary could be taken from the Health Fund budget and it was determined approximately $250 a pay period could be spent without the fund deficit spending for the budget year. The mayor suggested having the dog catcher working up to 20 hours a pay period at $9 an hour. Hemby felt the title should be "animal control" since this person would be handling more than dogs. A job description might also include "nuisance officer" so he could take care of tall weeds and other nuisance complaints as well as animals.
Corey Hart complained about the number of animals on his street. Hart talked with the Health Department concerning the cat urine smell permeating the area. The Health Department has commented the house in question was probably not up to code and needs to be condemned. Hart said, the department suggested he trap the cats and remove them from the area. He has tried this but the property owner alledgedly has released the cats from the traps.
Celia Gerecke and Ike Hawk, who live at the house in question, were present to discuss the problem. Gerecke and Hawk stated they have been trying to work with the problem, but people have kept on dropping off dogs and cats at the house.
Mayor Rick McLean stated the smell and the number of animals were a problem and Gerecke and Hawk needed to take care of the problem. McLean stated the city would check on the problem periodically to see what progress is being made to alleviate the smell and number of animals.
In an oral report, Marshal Rick Sheren explained one of the city officers arrested a person on a Stoddard County warrant. When he reached the Stoddard County jail, the person complained of chest pains and the county would not take him. The city officer took the prisoner to the hospital in Dexter where he was admitted and officers had to remain and guard him until the hospital released him to be turned over to Stoddard County. This took 20 hours of officer time.
Sheren said, a fire at the rear of the old Puxico Bar was a possible arson. The police had six assists this past month.
After a closed session, the mayor discussed city personnel scheduling use of City Hall and its community room. Any city personnel wishing to use the building for an activity should first check with the City Collector Patty Cooper to make sure the room is available and then reserve it for use. The collector keeps a calendar showing when the room has been reserved by members of the community who have paid to use the facility. None of the city personnel has the right to tell someone who has paid to use the room he/she must leave so it can be used for a city activity was not scheduled through the collector.
Under announcements, the clerk stated representatives from Delta Regional Authority, the federal agency that had given the city a grant to replace the bridge on Richardson Avenue, had visited the city to audit the grant project and had found no problems with the project reports.
Steve Riney would be repairing the floor and a faucet in the Nutrition Center building the last part of May, the mayor said. There was still some question as to what was being done with the ice machine had been leaking and causing the floor problem.
Historical Museum report noted the board was considering taking bids to have siding placed on the building. McLean said emergency management was called out for a missing person.