Fountain finishes memorial

Bid accepted to restore memorial's water fountain

BENTON -- Scott County's War Memorial will soon get the finishing touch: a working fountain.

During their regular meeting Tuesday, Scott County commissioners accepted a bid from Rick Alley Heating and Plumbing of Sikeston for work on the memorial's fountain plumbing and catch basin.

Previous work on the memorial added plaques with names of Scott County residents who served in the nation's wars since the memorial was built and made numerous cosmetic improvements along with repairs to the fountain. While the fountain was restored to working order, a serious leak remained that county officials were unable to find.

For a cost of $650 to $750, Rick Alley Heating and Plumbing will extend electric and water lines into the core of the monument, according to Joel Evans, county developer.

"It will heat all the interior plumbing and have a submersible heater in the bowl," Evans said. The project will also add a timer on the pump so it can be set to shut off after normal business hours or at night.

Evans said the fountain's catch basin will also be lined, "probably with a rubber-based skin."

There was also a bid of $452 submitted by Welch Masonry of Cape Girardeau which would have put a hydraulic cement skin on the bottom of the catch basin. Presiding Commissioner Jamie Burger said commissioners are not sure that would have fixed the problem, however.

This will be the first money spent by the county on the memorial, commissioners noted, as the previous work was funded with donations.

Burger said there is some donated money left that will help pay for this remaining work.

In other business Tuesday:

* Evans said he has received information on how to dispose of the county's used motor oil, most of which comes from the county's highway department.

"We can burn used oil in a device that's designed to burn oil," he said. "We can store as much oil as we can burn in one period."

Evans said this amount is 1,200 gallons.

The county can transport up to 55 gallons of used oil without any special license, Evans said, while transporting over 55 gallons requires a hazardous waste transporter's license for each vehicle transporting more than 55 gallons.

* Burger asked Evans for an update on the establishment of an Enhanced Enterprise Zone in the county.

"There's a lot of people depending on this EEZ to go through," he said.

"The city of Morley has not officially signed off on it yet but their attorney is looking it over. I don't think they will have a problem with it," Evans said.