The Poplar Bluff City Council discussed new benches, progress on the future I-57 and more at its Monday meeting.
The council had a split vote over an ordinance entering the city into a cost-sharing partnership with several local entities for the purchase of benches. Mayor Pro Tem Lisa Armes Parson motioned to amend the cost-share as follows:
• City of Poplar Bluff, $8,249.68
• Poplar Bluff Housing Authority, $8,249.68
• Poplar Bluff Municipal Library, $8,249.68,
• Poplar Bluff Parks and Recreation Department, $2,749.89
• Downtown Poplar Bluff, Inc., $2,749.89
• Southeast Missouri Transportation Services, $2,749.89
The amendment was approved, but council members Billy DePew and David Boyer ultimately voted against the measure.
“I feel that they’re too expensive,” Boyer objected.
He said the money could be better used for sidewalks, gutters, drainage, and parkways along Second Street which the library and housing authority plan to develop. DePew declined to comment on his vote.
At the end of the evening, City Manager Matt Winters reported major progress had been made on the I-57 project.
“With the budget that the governor signed on Friday that had $60 million from general revenue and $90 million from the state road fund, the safety and economic development in our region are going to be drastically improved,” he said regarding the newly-allocated money for the interstate’s completion.
Winters said upgrading Highway 67 to interstate standards decrease traffic fatalities, noting several deaths and serious accidents have occurred this year.
“The economic benefit that that’s going to have on our community and all of Southeast Missouri when that gets down to Little Rock is probably more than we can...think here today,” Winters asserted.
For discussion items, the council considered an intergovernmental transfer of the property located at 2212 Maud St. from the city to the R-I school district. The plot was a flood buyout and would serve as overflow parking for buses.
Next, City Planner James Sisk presented the proposal of the Electrical Board to change the definition of an apprentice to match the Plumbing Board’s verbiage. The new definition will include a minimum age of 16 and a description of whom the apprentice serves under.
The council approved both items to move to the July 15 voting session.
The final discussion item was a change order for the Community Development Block Grant Project for the Roxie Road bridge replacement. Winters explained the change would extend the contract from its original 120 days to 134.
“This extension is needed to account for lost work days due to weather,” Winters said.
Given that the bridge is expected to be completed within two weeks, he proposed it be moved to Monday’s voting session. The council unanimously approved all measures.
In other business, members voted to approve:
• Selection of the Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission for grant writing services for renovations to the Margaret Hartwell Art Museum.
• Selection of Dille Pollard Architecture for the renovations to the art museum.
• Rezoning 1519 and 1529 Coolidge Street from C-2 General Commercial to RD-1 Residential Duplex.
• Intergovernmental transfer of the property located at North Second Street from the city to the library and housing authority.
• Appointment of Michael Pollard to the Zoning Board of Adjustment.