New Madrid City Council welcomes a new mayor

Kevin Lyons is officially New Madrid’s new mayor.

At the Jan. 9 City Council meeting, Lyons took the oath of office and his seat at the center of the Council table. Lyons was selected to fill the remaining term of Donnie Brown, who resigned to become the 149th District state representative.

Also during the meeting, Liz Higgerson, co-ordinator of the local food pantry, spoke with the Board about the O’Bannon Community Center, where the program is housed.

Emphasizing their appreciation for the city’s support for the food pantry by providing the building and utilities at no charge, Higgerson said the roof has leaked for the past five years. She said in the past the city has always responded when there is a leak, however the problem continues.

“The roof is very, very leaky,” Higgerson said as she handed photos of damage to the building’s interior from the leaks.

She noted while there has not been any food damage yet, it soon could happen. Also she expressed concern about the possibility of mold in the building due to the leaks.

Higgerson asked if there is a way the city could help resolve the problem.

Outgoing City Administrator Richard McGill noted the building has a flat roof, which resulted in the problem. He suggested the city could have a roofer look at the building and provide a quote; a grant could then be sought to help pay for the project.

Also addressing the Council was Tiffany Belcher, economic development specialist with the Bootheel Regional Planning Commission. Belcher explained the city’s current CDBG grant which paid $39,188.50 toward street work and $58,288.78 for drainage was closing out and the city would now be able to apply for funds in the next grant cycle.

In McGill’s report to the Council, he announced the city has received a Governor’s Cost-Share Grant for $874,250 for economic development purposes to improve the Levee Road and Bloomfield Road. CST-New Madrid, a recyclable waste to energy industry which is locating in the community, will be the prime beneficiary from the road improvements.

As part of the planned arrival of CST-New Madrid, Councilman G.L. Keene suggested officials look at bringing in businesses which would make New Madrid more attractive to individuals moving to town. Suggestions for possible businesses ranged from a coffee shop to a lumber company.

Also financial disclosure forms, required by the state of Missouri, were provided to Council members. The forms are used to determine if there are any financial conflicts by those in government.