CITIZENS OBJECT TO IMPROVEMENT PLAN

JACKSON -- Although some Jackson residents consistently complain about the dust kicked up by nearby gravel roads, about 13 residents attended the Jackson Board of Aldermen meeting Monday to object to the city's plan to pave Oak Hill Road.

Oak Hill is one of the first streets to be paved with concrete under the city's new street improvement plan.

Most of the residents, property owners on Oak Hill, said paving the street would be too costly for landowners to fund without help from the city.

Under Jackson's new, permanent street improvement policy, the property owners along streets will pay for the paving, not the city.

"The city has never participated in the upgrading of a gravel road, and we really can't start," Alderman Jack Piepenbrok, chairman of the Street Committee, said. "We have participated when there was a pretty good road already."

Although the Oak Hill project hasn't been bid, the city engineer estimated tax bills would run about $30 per feet of road frontage.

Property owners would have 10 years to pay the tax bills, which would have the same rate of interest as treasury bills.

Prior to the board's passing a resolution to improve Oak Hill Road, along with Gloria Street and Ridge Road, Mayor Paul Sander told citizens they had 24 days from the resolution's first publication in the local newspaper to protest the action.

He also gave the group a warning.

"If this goes through, and the protest is such that there are enough people who don't want it done, it may be a long time before it comes back up again," Sander said. "And the city isn't in the road-oiling business."

The resolutions passed unanimously, but the citizens in attendance made clear their intention to protest the action.

JACKSON BOARD OF ALDERMEN

Regular Meeting

March 6, 7:30 p.m.

Power and Light Committee

Appointed director and alternate to the Missouri Joint Municipal Electric Utility Commission.

Resolved that the city of Jackson to reimburse itself for certain capital expenditures.

Passed ordinance relating to the licensing and regulation of adult oriented entertainment within the city of Jackson.

Approved contractual agreement with the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri for service provided.

Authorized Park Department to advertise for bids on restroom facility in Brookside Park.

Street Committee

Accepted bid for property insurance coverage.

Established an official city of Jackson street improvement policy.

Voted to improve Gloria Street.

Voted to improve Oak Hill Road.

Voted to improve Ridge Road.