Change in licensing requirements is approved

SIKESTON - Street corner merchandisers will find it considerably more difficult to do business in Sikeston.

Council members approved a change in licensing requirements during the regular Sikeston City Council meeting Monday.

Modeled after the city of Arnold's solution, the amendment establishes a 14-day application process and requires background checks and fingerprinting, a $20 deposit for a identification badge and a $1,000 bond among other things.

Tom Bridger, public works director, said city officials hope it will discourage "fly by night" operations and encourage setting up at established flea markets and farmers markets which still only require the $2 license.

In other business Monday:

* Council members awarded the bids for Park Division contractual mowing services as recommended by the bid committee.

The 20 contracts total $61,416 per year or $122,832 for the two-year contract term for a total savings of $24,912 as compared with the last round of contracts, according to Jiggs Moore, parks director.

Moore said for high-profile areas, lowest bids from out-of-town vendors were passed over to "try to keep them with local vendors to ensure quick response if we have a problem."

* Council members approved the abandonment of two 20-foot utility easements in Fairfield Subdivision's Fourth Addition.

Bridger said the developer had asked for extra easements when developing the property. "These easements were not necessary," he said.

* A bill creating O-2 office district zoning was approved by the Council.

The new zoning classification is the same as O-1 "with the exception of lot size," said Bridger. "You can have a lot up to four acres. In O-1, you can only have lots up to two acres."

* An amendment of the Traffic Committee was approved.

Major items in the amendment include changing the meetings from four per year to an as-needed basis; and changing the requirement to report to the Council from twice per year to as-needed.

Council members also approved an amendment of the Parks Department and Park Board.

Bridger explained it updates the language in City Code to include current events and assets, such as the Corporate Games Super Saturday events and Clinton Building, and to delete those that don't exist anymore such as the Society for Creative Anachronism's Mayfest and Tanner Street Gym.

* Darlene Leonard was appointed to represent the city on the Scott County Extension Council. The term began March 1.

State statute requires communities with a population exceeding 10,000 to have an appointed member on the University Extension Council, a 14-member board that evaluates educational needs in the Scott County and submits recommendations for University Outreach programming.

* Staff was authorization to send out redevelopment requests for proposals which "sets in motion" the redevelopment of the old Missouri Department of Transportation complex near Main and Malone, according to Friend.

* City officials have decided not to pursue use of the second Public Educational-Government Channel after receiving findings from the PEG Channel Advisory Committee, but will reconsider in about 6-8 months.

Friend said the committee advised it would take between $25,000 and $50,000 to start.

Another committee is slated to be formed in the next calendar year, he added.

* Bleacher Bums Matt Bain, president, and Clint Bohannon, treasurer, asked the Council if they can adopt a section of Pine Street near the high school to keep clean.

"We'd like to do what we can, do our part to help out," said Bain.

* Excepting open house and real estate signs, which are allowed, city officials will no longer put up with signs placed in right-of-ways, which generally extend back from the curb seven feet.

"Any type of sign located in what we determine to be in the right-of-way, we will remove," Friend said.

The signs will be piled at the Department of Public Works complex briefly for owners to pick up before being destroyed.

* First and second readings of a bill authorizing execution of lease for operation and maintenance of municipal swimming pool were tabled.

* A second reading of a bill amending the Department of Economic Development Executive Board was tabled.