Properties are combined for redevelopment

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Sikeston City Council

SIKESTON -- After several years of tearing down dilapidated structures through the Land Clearance Redevelopment Authority, Sikeston has has now taken a significant step toward the other half of the mission: redevelopment.

Council member approved a series of bills during their regular meeting Monday which replated 19 "shotgun" lots in the Clayton, Sunset, Branum, Stallings and McCoy & Tanner's subdivisions ranging from 40-56 feet in width into nine buildable lots of 80-112 feet wide.

With all the lots being in the LCRA's target area, the city will soon issue requests for proposals to developers to build single-family homes on the new, wider lots, according to Trey Hardy, community redevelopment coordinator.

"Zoning remains the same," Hardy said.

Council members also passed a resolution authorizing the emergency demolition of nine structures found to be health and safety hazards.

These structures are located at: 839 Agnes; 416 Branum; 209 Dixie; 229 W. Kathleen; 239 W. Kathleen; 249 W. Kathleen; 313 Kendall; 319 Kendall; and 316 Luther.

Demolition costs will be assessed against the owners as a lien on the real estate, according to Hardy.

In other business during Monday's meeting:

* The fiscal year 2008 budget and staffing and compensation ordinances were read for the first time following the next-to-last public hearing.

The city's fiscal year will run from July 1 through June 30, 2008.

In addition to funding personnel and capital improvement upgrades for the Department of Public Safety, fully funding the LCRA, and debt service for the expansion of the Sikeston Area Higher Education Center, the budget also includes a 3-percent cost-of-living raise for all municipal employees, City Manager Doug Friend said.

To maintain competitive entry level salaries, starting salary ranges have also been increased by 3 percent, he said.

The second reading and Council action on the ordinances is slated for a special City Council meeting Monday.

* A bill amending city code related to itinerate vendor license requirements was approved which, effective July 3, increases the application fee cost from $38 to $43 and extends the application process from 14 days to 28 days.

City Clerk Carroll Couch explained the fee increase is to offset an increase by the state for background checks while the extension of the application process timeline is related to the time it actually takes for the state to conduct its background checks.

The city manager is also now authorized to waive selected vendors from the license requirements although all license fees will remain in effect.

* Shad Old updated council members on the Community Cowboy Cookoff Contest scheduled for August 11 at the Clinton Building.

"Things seem to be progressing really well," he said.

Old said the non-sanctioned barbecue event has 13 business sponsors already and 12 cook teams have indicated they intend to compete. He said it will include "all kinds of goofy little contests" and samples.

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