SIKESTON -- Sikeston's police chief will receive the Missouri Police Chiefs Association's top honor.
During the regular Sikeston City Council meeting Monday, City Manager Doug Friend presented a letter from the association advising city officials that Sikeston Department of Public Safety Director Director Drew Juden was selected to receive the 2008 Donald Red Loehr Outstanding Police Chiefs Award.
According to the letter from Sheldon Lineback, MPCA director, "Chief Juden has demonstrated insightful leadership, innovation, and true professionalism which has been recognized in his daily service to the citizens of Sikeston, and also for his dedication and service on a statewide scale to ensure Missouri is prepared to serve and protect citizens across the state of Missouri."
The award is "the highest recognition a member of the MCPA can receive," Lineback said in the letter.
An award presentation is scheduled for Dec. 18 in Jefferson City.
In other business during Monday's meeting:
* City staff were authorized to proceed in initiating the bidding process for the city's 2009 street and drainage program.
The total estimated cost for the program proposed by the city's Planning and Zoning Committee is $603,000 of which $295,000 would be for asphalt and drainage projects and $308,000 would be for concrete.
Bids will be sought on asphalt overlay projects for: Athens, Seventh from Troy to Athens, Mill Row from North to Short, Indiana from Missouri to Broadway, Jackson from Jaycee to Welter, Applegate from Lillian to Linn, Dudley Park's parking lot and entrances, and Thrush.
Bids on concrete projects, some of which also include drainage improvements, will be sought for: Moore from Malone to about 100 feet north of Center, spot repairs to Greer from Main to Pine, Taylor from Tanner to Hunter, approximately 100 feet of County Line Road at Glenn, bridge wall reconstruction on the south side and the addition of a culvert on Campanella, and a crosswalk on Front at Kingshighway.
Drainage project bids to be sought include a culvert under Cottonwood and a basin reconstruction project at North Kingshighway and College.
In addition to the street and drainage package proposed by the Planning and Zoning Committee, Council members approved seeking bids for the construction of parking at the Sports Complex near the soccer fields.
Also, Sue Rogers, council member, asked if the bid on Athens can include widening the road.
Once bids are accepted and design work completed, the street and drainage program will be presented to the Council for final approval.
* Council members approved a bill authorizing the transfer of lots 4-7 and lots 9-14 of the Block 7 Fair Ground Addition to the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority.
The lots, which are located on west side of Felker between North and Osage, were deeded to the city by the U.S. Marshal office which seized the properties from the Sumlin family following federal charges of distributing cocaine base.
With this land transfer, the LCRA owns all the properties on Felker Street except for a couple on the east side that LCRA officials are currently in negotiations to obtain.
Trey Hardy, community redevelopment coordinator, said the LCRA is not attempting to obtain the duplex on the corner of Felker and Osage which has a Osage address. "It is in good condition and is currently occupied," he said.
The next step, Hardy said, will be to replat the properties into buildable lots after which the area will be ripe for redevelopment as the Compress lot is located on the other side of North Street.
* A bill calling for the April 7 general election was read for the first time.
The election will include a race for mayor between council members Mike Bohannon and Jerry Pullen and two uncontested races for council seats.
Tom Hedrick has filed for the open seat in Ward 2 and Kathy Teachout is the sole candidate for Ward 3.