A lot of discussion happened, but not a lot of action happened Monday night at the monthly meeting of the Portageville City Council. The one thing that did get the council's approval letting out a bid for security cameras and a panic button for the City Hall. The bid was let out to High Tech Communications of Sikeston, MO.
The second item of action was authorizing the resources for the work on pump No. 10. It is not working properly and is clogging up.
In other business, alderman Vince Berry told the council that there will be an organizational meeting for the Chamber of Commerce. The City will host a meeting to discuss the organization of the Portageville Chamber of Commerce. The meeting will take place at the City Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 6:00 pm.
For the past several years, there have been up to four volunteers working on the chamber. However, the president has decided to stay on board until the new organization takes place.
The City owes gratitude to the individuals that hold the chamber together especially when it came time for the planning and implementing of the City's Annual Soybean festival. 2016 will be the 69th anniversary.
Individuals and businesses that are interested in being involved in helping the Portageville Chamber of Commerce grow are encouraged to attend this informational meeting.
Additionally, there will be another town hall meeting with discussion regarding the new wastewater treatment facility and the bond issue. The meeting will be held at City Hall on Thursday, February 18 at 6:00 pm.
"Last week, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon came down to show his support on how well the City of Portageville and SRG Global has partnered together on this project," said Mayor Floyd Simmons. "SRG Global has already spend $60 millions to expand onto their current facility here in Portageville. The City has an great opportunity to get a new wastewater treatment facility, plus with what SRG is doing, would bring in more job opportunities. However, the City was going to have to get a new treatment center whether SRG built here or not."
"We have funding coming through the state that will help pay for about half of the cost. We have more finding available coming through EPA, and we are not for sure how much of that we are going to get," he said. "That is why we are going to ask for three million for the bond issue, but hopefully we will not have to use that much. If we do not use the whole amount, we will send what we do not use back."
There is a good possibility that a new Lions Club will be forming in Portageville. Several members of area Lion Clubs came to introduce themselves and are planning to walk the streets of Portageville to talk with local business about the Lions Club, and recruit new members. It has been 23 years since a Lions Club has been in Portageville.
John Preston, the Second Vice District Governor for Southeast Missouri District made a brief presentation to the council about the Lions Club.
"Lions were started in 1917 in a room much like this by a civic minded man
named Melvin Jones. A Chicago business man who believed that businesses
have a responsibility to give back to its community. He gathered other like
minded business owners and civic leaders and created the first Lions Club. His
ideas and vision of community support quickly spread across the United States," said Preston.
"In 1922, at the Lions Club National Convention, the Lions Club was challenged by Helen Keller 'To be knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness'."
"Since then, we have worked very hard to help the blind and visually impaired.
Today, in 46,000 clubs with 1.4 million members in 206 countries around the
world, Lions Clubs mission of helping visually impaired individuals is still our
main goal. We are the largest service organization in the world."
"We also help the hearing impaired. Fight measles through a 15 million dollar
donation from LCI and matching grants from the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation. Last year, we provided vision screening here in Missouri for over
43,000 pre school children, looking for vision issues that could potentially effect that child's learning development in school."
"Locally, clubs in this area support a wide variety of community needs, from high schools scholarships, buying eye glasses for people unable to afford them, and hearing aids? Yes, we provide them as well. Do you know some one that needs a service dog? We've purchased them for local people in this area. Food banks and pantries know Lion Clubs because we support feeding the hungry. Children at Christmas time know Lions because of the toy drives we sponsor so those same children will have something to have Christmas morning. Vision, Hearing, Youth and Environment, Lions are involved in their communities all the time."
"I would venture that Portageville has at least 10 churches right now with a food pantry that is struggling to keep it's shelves full. Your Lions Club could very well make a difference there. What your club can do is only limited by your imagination," said Preston.
"Our district has many dedicated Lions like you, that are seated here, ready at your call, to help in any way possible, to make the Portageville Lions Club a reality."
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