City of Sikeston awarded $500K community grant

SIKESTON — The City of Sikeston’s application for street improvements through the Missouri Department of Economic Development was approved by the Community Development Block Grant Program in the amount of $500,000.

The news was shared during Monday’s regular Sikeston City Council meeting at City Hall and also via the city’s social media.

According to city officials, these funds will be utilized to enhance the Sikeston community by providing pavement improvements on local city streets including, but not limited to: Hardin Street, Matthews Avenue, East Kathleen Avenue, South Prairie Avenue, South Frisco, Kendall, West Gladys, William Street, Daniel Street and Dover Street.

Work will include asphalt overlays, milling in some locations, pavement repair and intersection improvements. The exact scope of work will be finalized over the next few months while plans are developed.

“It is our hope that this work will begin this fall (2022), but worst case, it will begin in the summer of 2023,” city officials said in a statement. “These funds are above and beyond the city’s normal street improvement program. These additional funds will give a much needed boost in funding to improve the city’s street infrastructure,”

City officials also expressed appreciation to Gov. Michael Parson, the Missouri Department of Economic Development and Bootheel Regional Planning Commission for the assistance in securing this funding to build up the Sikeston community.

Also on Monday, city council members authorized the Department of Public Safety to purchase three-camera mobile license plate reader from Vigilant Solutions in the amount of $17,655. This package includes “buy one, get one” and utilizing a grant that was awarded in the amount of $14,995, the City will pay $2,660. If the grant utilizes extra funds they have, it is possible they will pay the additional $2,660.

Council authorized the owner of 104 Front St. to convert two parking spaces on Front Street to a patio area which will give more public benches and seating space. This will also help locate drainage, provide storm water control on the New Madrid Street side, and offer more ADA compliance with our sidewalks, according to city officials.

The following actions by City Council also took place:

— Approved the surplus of more than 30 miscellaneous computers to donate to the Sikeston High School Career and Technology Center Computer Science Program.

— Conducted the first reading of Bill 6271, authorizing the installation of stop signs at the following locations: Yosemite at Brunt; Rushmore at Brunt; South Illinois Avenue at Citation Drive; Seabiscuit Drive at Citation Drive. Also making a three-way stop on Marion at Pam Street.

— Approved Bill 6273, the annexation of 8.227 acres known as Saddleridge South Second Addition on South Illinois Ave.

— Approved Bill 6274, rezoning Saddleridge South Second Addition from Agriculture (AG) to Residential (R-1).

— Approved Bill 6275, request to subdivide Saddleridge South Second Addition.

— Approved Bill 6276, amending City Code Chapter 135, Municipal Court, updating several court costs accessed by City Code but are no longer permissible. The City of Sikeston’s court has not been accessing these costs but city code was never amended. Changes include: defendants cannot be assessed boarding fees for time held in confinement in the county jail; mileage and interpreter fees are no longer assessed to defendants as court costs; costs cannot be assessed for the issuance of a warrant, a commitment or a summons; the court clerk will remit Crime Victims’ Fund and Peace Officers Training Fund to the State of Missouri and the city treasury as required.

The next Council meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 29.