Benton, Chaffee apply for large sidewalk improvement grants

BENTON, Mo. -- Two Scott County towns have applied for more than half a million dollars in grant funding through the Missouri Department of Transportation, aimed to improve their sidewalks.

During Thursday's Scott County Commission meeting, county developer Joel Evans reported that submissions on behalf of Benton and Chaffee are complete.

The grant funds are aimed at improving pedestrian and bicycle traffic.

"Chaffee's project totals between $200,000 and $250,000," said Evans. "And the total for the city of Benton is $391,700."

The streets pinpointed in the Chaffee sidewalk improvement area are Fifth, Helen, Main, Elliot, a block of Marlene and Frisco Park.

In Benton, the application seeks funds to improve the sidewalks in a complete circle around the courthouse, down Missouri and around the old Benton High School. Also, it looks to fix the sidewalk on the east side of U.S. 61 from the courthouse to St. Denis School, fixing the bridges on both sides of the road there, and improvements on the west side of U.S. 61 from the bridge to the grocery store.

In Benton, the in-kind match is $20,000, Evans said. However, he said, the labor and equipment, according to FEMA cost guides, should cost that or more.

Also during the meeting, Evans informed commissioners everything is on track for the 10 a.m. ceremony on Tuesday to unveil William O. Welty's name on the war memorial in front of the Courthouse.

Welty, formerly of Sikeston, was reported missing in May 1944, and a year later listed dead, according to the Department of Defense. Welty's name is not included in the memorial.

Last year, one of Welty's relatives contacted Evans and asked his named be included. Family members will actually be the ones to pull off a ribbon unveiling his name.

In other news Thursday:

Evans informed the commission that during a satellite phone test on Thursday, it was discovered one of the phones in dispatch was destroyed.

"I don't know what happened to it," he said.

Presiding Commissioner Jamie Burger asked if the subscription could be canceled so the county would be able to stop paying for the service, and Evans said that is possible. However, Evans also suggested replacing the phone with one from a different system than what is currently used.

"It would keep us from having all our eggs in one basket," he said.

Burger directed Evans to come back with a proposal including the price of the phone and any monthly fees.

Evans said he continues to follow up on the new flood plain maps, particularly how to inform landowners who appear to be moving into a flood zone when the maps are approved.

"SEMA said there's not a legal obligation to do it, but some counties have made efforts to do so," he said. Evans said he plans to talk about some of those efforts with SEMA officials.

County officials also suggested the maps and a list could be posted in one or more public places.

"We now have those maps here for review," said Evans. "There is still another 16 or so months left in the process."