Estimates sought for city street paving

NEW MADRID, Mo. — Improvements to city streets are ahead.

During the July 22 New Madrid City Council meeting, City Administrator Aaron Griffin advised the Council he has sought cost estimates for repaving a proposed list of streets from Lambert Engineering.

Currently the city has $500,000 set aside for paving projects. Griffin said he expects to provide the Council with cost estimates at the next meeting.

Also Griffin provided Council members with guidelines used by the city of Sikeston to condemn and removed unsafe or abandoned properties.

According to Griffin while New Madrid currently has ordinances in place for condemnation of buildings, it doesn’t have any procedures.

“(Sikeston) has a good process they go through,” Griffin said. “Rather than an ordinance for this and an ordinance for that, I would like to put a whole policy together that brings all of the things we have talked about into one solid policy.”

He asked the Council to read and review Sikeston’s process in order for New Madrid to create its own guidelines. It was suggested guidelines should cover items such as obtaining warrants to go onto private property, how to properly board up buildings, hearings for those opposing condemnations and those trespassing on condemned property.

Also during the meeting:

• Approval was given for a picnic license for the American Legion allowing the sale of beer during the Aug. 31 Music on the Mississippi festival.

• The mayor was authorized to sign a lease agreement with REH. The lease will enable the city to use land where the Sinclair Oil facility was located along the Mississippi River for parking during the upcoming music festival.

• Griffin reported he is working with architects on a proposed city hall and recently received a square-foot layout, showing such things as the flow of the building, parking and drive-through.

“We were really pleased with how the design came out,” Griffin said. “It exceeded my expectations with how it was laid out.”

Griffin said architects are currently working on a cost estimate and a rendering of the front of the building.

In an update on the Highway 61 electrical substation, Griffin reported concrete is being poured and construction is on track. He said the substation should be finished in December and online by January.

Repair of an electrical line damaged by the storm in late May was recently completed by JF Electric.

Following the death of Calvin Morgan, a city employee, Griffin said city workers had discussed ways to honor him such as a plaque on a bench in Cottonwood Park.