Despite opposition, city council OKs street name change

SIKESTON — Despite a group of vocal opponents, the Sikeston City Council voted during Monday’s City Council meeting to rename Felker Avenue to Lincoln Avenue.

Construction is currently progressing on a new Lincoln University Campus on Felker Avenue, using land purchased from the Land Clearance Redevelopment Authority. Along with the construction, Lincoln University requested that the city rename the street Lincoln Avenue instead of Felker Avenue.

However, some of the Felker family members sent emails to the city opposing the name change but supporting the building of Lincoln University. The emails reminded officials of the history behind the namesake of the street, who was known as Daddy Felker.

Former residents also were opposed to the name change. Adam Mills told the council about his family and himself growing up on the street and presented a petition to council of residents opposing the change.

“I don’t see what changing the name is going to do,” Mills said.

Harry Sharp said it was more than changing the name of the street.

“It’s erasing history,” Sharp said. “It was a great place once. It would be a shame to erase the history.”

Brenda Robinson-Echols, regional coordinator for Lincoln University Cooperative Extension, said that she didn’t mean to disrespect history but in the last 30 years everything related to Felker Street was negative.

“It’s time for us to make some new history,” Robinson-Echols said. “It was at the bottom and now lets take it to the top.”

Patty Raymond spoke during the meeting and said that Felker was a great man for the community, including black residents.

“It’s not about changing the name but about changing the atmosphere,” Raymond said. “It’s not the name of the street but the people that inhabit the street. Let’s make it good.”

Several spoke up about all the good Lincoln University was doing for the community and about the crime and bad things that Felker Avenue has become known for.

Terrell Johnson spoke out with his idea of changing the name of the street to Lincoln Avenue but naming the building or something after Felker to honor him.

Robinson-Echols said they couldn’t name the building after him but could do something like plant a tree with a plaque or something.

Council voted 4-1 in favor of the name change with Onethia Williams, Karen Evans, Ryan Merideth and Gerald Settles all voting in favor. Mayor Pro Tem Brandon Sparks voted against the change. Mayor Steven Burch and councilman Brian Self were not present for the meeting.

Sparks praised Lincoln University for what they were doing in the area but explained his dissenting vote by saying his family has street named after his father in Mississippi County and he and his family would fight it if that street name was to be changed.

In other action Monday, council:

• Approved the execution of a ground lease agreement for Orgill Property.

•Authorized the execution of a ground lease with the Board of Municipal Utilities. The BMU Board determined that the best financing option for a new water plant was to use Certificates of Purchase (COP), which requires the land on which the water plant is sited to be part of the collateral for the financing. Since the land is titled in the City of Sikeston’s name, the ground lease document leases the land to BMU for the term of the financing so it can be used as collateral. When the plant is paid for, the lease expires.

• Approved the request to annex property along the west side of S. Illinois Avenue and south of Ables Road.

• Approved the request to rezone property along the west side of S. Illinois Avenue and south of Ables Road from Agricultural to Single Family Residential.

• Approved the proposed Subdivision Saddleridge South – First Addition which will be along the west side of South Illinois Avenue and south of Ables Road. Sparks said there would 18 lots, comparable to homes behind Lowe’s, that would be approximately $150,000-$175,000 homes.

• Approved a letter of approval for a local resident to build storage over a pit south of the old Unilever building.

• Approved an authorizing resolution for the new Motorola 911 system to be installed that was needed by the company.

• Heard from a resident on the need of an adult re-entry program when leaving jail. The resident was told where local re-entry programs could be found.

Election filing begins

The filing period for the April 6, 2021, City Council election will begin Oct. 13 at 8 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. on Nov. 17. Any person desiring to become a candidate for Council shall file with City Clerk Rhonda Council at City Hall during the filing period. The seats up for election will be the Mayor (Steven Burch), Council member Ward 2 (Gerald Settles) and Council member Ward 3 (Karen Evans). These Council members have termed out and are not eligible to run in this election. If more than two candidates file for any seat, there will be a primary election on Feb. 2.

To be eligible for election, all candidates must be a qualified voter of Sikeston and be at least 21 years of age. Ward candidates must be a resident of the ward for which they are filing for a period of at least one year immediately prior to the last day to file for election. Mayoral candidates must have been a resident of the City for at least one year immediately prior to their election.