MINER - Miner has taken a substantial step toward building a convention center.
During a special Board of Aldermen meeting Thursday, board members approved the purchase of 13.07 acres from Cummins Diesel for a convention center and park complex.
The land owners accepted the city's offer of $225,000 for land located on Highway H, according to Janet Tuttle, city clerk.
In other business during Thursday's special meeting:
* John Chittenden of Waters Engineering in Sikeston provided the Board with an update on the rural water district for Scott County.
"With any luck we'll be under construction in 2007," Chittenden said.
A bond issue to fund the construction goes on the ballot in November, he said.
Another major hurdle the district needs to clear before construction is obtaining easements for the 255 miles of water lines in the flatland area of the county and another 200 in the hilly regions.
Chittenden also suggested the water district may be interested in buying Miner's 75,000 gallon elevated water tank on the east side of town that is presently not being used by the city.
He said a rural water district "is long overdue for this county."
* Scott County commissioners Martin Priggel and Dennis Ziegenhorn updated the Board on the Riverside Regional Library Board's decision to not renew their agreement with the Sikeston Public Library.
Under the six-year-old agreement which expires Aug. 31, the Riverside District paid the Sikeston Library $15,000 per year in exchange for providing services to residents living outside of Sikeston but in Scott County's portion of the Sikeston R-6 School District such as Miner.
"We want to see every place in the county served equally," said Priggel.
Those in this area pay taxes to the Riverside District without having ready access to a library branch as the nearest Riverside facility is in Benton.
"I think we need an accounting of the money," said Mayor Mitch Thompson.
Extended hours at the Benton branch would not be an acceptable alternative, according to Alderman Justin Medley. "I don't really feel like that's an option for us," he said.
"We need a long-term solution so we don't have to go through this every six to eight years," said Thompson.
* Board members agreed to hire either an additional part-time or full-time police officer in addition to replacing Joe Smith who accepted a job in Butler County and has given his two-week notice.
An additional full-time officer would enable the department to have two officers on duty between 6 a.m. and 2 a.m. seven days per week and three officers on duty between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, according to Police Chief Roger Moore.