Zoning change sought

NEW MADRID, Mo. - A request for a change in zoning to allow for the expansion of a local support center was brought before the New Madrid City Council during their Oct. 28 meeting.

Lakeisha Braxton, co-founder of Heart2Help, explained due to increased requests for services, she would like to expand the center, located at 302 Powell St. Currently the faith-based program provides women with a safe environment as they deal with drug abuse, pregnancy or other issues.

‘We are trying to find ways to get them back in the community,” Braxton told the Council. “They are required to work, get a job, education and whatever else we can do to get them back on their feet. So far, God has blessed us and we are successful.”

Braxton said she was approached by other programs about housing clients and recently was involved in a discussion about providing assistance if a drug court is established in New Madrid County.

To expand the center, Braxton said she is interested in purchasing adjacent lots. Currently she said the lots are zoned residential and need to be zoned commercial.

The expansion would add another 20 bedrooms, four showers and a commercial kitchen to provide services for an additional 40 people, according to Braxton.

After some discussion over whether the lots were already zoned commercial, New Madrid Mayor Nick White said the matter would be researched and go before the Variance Board if needed. The Variance Board would then make a recommendation for the Council’s consideration at their November meeting.

Also during the meeting, the Council appointed Cory Sisk to serve as the city’s new code enforcement officer.

The mayor noted there are a number of derelict properties in the community that need to be dealt with.

“Other than passing the ordinances we haven’t gotten a letter sent out yet,” said White. “I had wanted to get some progress on this earlier than now.”

In other action, unanimous approval was given of an ordinance granting Liberty Utilities the franchise to provide gas services in New Madrid in return for a 5 percent fee.

Also in a review of the contracts with those farming land currently owned by the city, it was determined the contract for a 212-acre site located along Highway U was coming to an end.

At a special meeting on Oct. 30, the Council met with Barry Aycock, who currently has the contract to farm that site. An agreement was reached to sign a three-year contract at a rate of $205 per acre with a provision allowing the city to end the contract should an industry require the site.

In his report to the City Council City at the Oct. 28 meeting, Administrator Aaron Griffin said environmental borings should be conducted in November on the site for the town’s new city hall at the corner of Main and Mill streets. He said the architects have indicated the project will take 12 months to build and has attracted the interest of several construction companies.