Jackson aldermen approve contracts, receive reports during regular meeting

The Jackson Board of Aldermen convened for their regular meeting on Monday, May 20, where they approved various ordinances and payments and heard reports from the city's administration in a study session. From left: city administrator James Roach, Mayor Dwain Hahs, city clerk Angela Birk, city attorney Curtis Poore.

Christopher Borro ~ cborro@semissourian.com

The Jackson Board of Aldermen approved various ordinances during its Monday, May 20, meeting.

Board members authorized a contract agreement with Clean Slate Cleaning Service of Cape Girardeau for janitorial services at the city’s police station. This costs $1,440 monthly. The aldermen also accepted a donation of a water-line easement deed at 1730 E. Jackson Blvd. from Rhodes Development Co. of Cape Girardeau.

Also approved was a contractual agreement with Gunner Energy Corp., doing business as General Acrylics of Mount Vernon, Illinois. Thecontract is for $39,985 and will go toward repairing and resurfacing tennis courts. An additional $37,141.04 was provided to Putz Construction of Millersville, relative to annual concrete paving improvement services.

Furthermore, the aldermen passed an ordinance approving an amendment to Chapter 39 of the city’s Code of Ordinances ending the use of a parking lot at 868 W. Jackson Trail as a commuter lot.

It was sold to Newell Rubbermaid Development, the city’s second-largest employer, for expanded equipment parking in a March aldermen meeting. The location had previously been open to public parking, but Monday’s ordinance change officially put an end to that.

The aldermen also approved Mayor Dwain Hahs’ appointment of Carole Baugh to the Historic Preservation Commission, filling an unexpired term ending in 2025.

Study session

Following the regular meeting, the aldermen participated in a study session. Jason Lipe, director of Parks and Recreation, provided a Park Board report in which he detailed that the parking area at the Jackson Civic Center’s pavilion and playground was nearing completion. He also said the Jackson City Swimming Pool was preparing for its 49th season of operation.

Janet Sanders, the city’s director of Public Works, presented a request from a resident about installing a three-way stop at the intersection of Oak Street and Broadridge Drive. Police department, fire department and Public Works responses indicated following through with the request would lead to even more congestion, especially on school days.

“The other staff responses I got were fairly unanimous that they think an additional stop sign going east to west each way would cause more traffic congestion. It’s very congested before and after school because the junior high drop off is right there within the same block and so is West Lane Elementary,” Sanders said.

City administrator James Roach provided an engineering services proposal to upgrade circuits serving the industrial area around South Farmington Road because of an upcoming expansion at Midwest Sterilization Corp. The engineering fee for replacing some 20 electrical poles and a conductor for the expansion would likely cost no more than $68,000, he said.