Jackson aldermen approve community development program contract

During their regular meeting Monday, Nov. 20, the Jackson Board of Aldermen approved a $38,000 contract agreement with the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission to perform grant writing and administration services for a community development program.

"The Community Development Block Grant is an incentive that provides grant funding directly to municipalities in Missouri to support the expansion of infrastructure needs at a site," Jackson administrative services director Rodney Bollinger said in an email. "In this particular case, the CDBG funds will be used to assist in the construction of infrastructure (public roadways and utilities) in the Jackson North Industrial Park."

In other board business, the aldermen authorized additional contractual agreements with three insurance providers to provide medical, dental, vision and life insurance benefits. The companies were Auxiant of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin; Roundstone Management Ltd. of Lakewood, Ohio; and Standard Insurance Com. of Portland, Oregon.

The aldermen also heard a presentation from Angela Compton, her son, Brock, 17, and the latter's friend, Jonathan Rosenquist, 16, about creating a suitable outdoor location for kids to play stick hockey.

The boys created a street stick hockey club during the coronavirus pandemic and now have many of friends participating.

"We need a slab of concrete ... if this is something where if we got the land and got the funding, could we get it?" Angela Compton asked, adding that indoor locations have turned them down because of hockey sticks potentially scratching hardwood floors.

She added it could provide people with a sense of community, especially young people and particularly in the winter.

"I think it's great," Ward 1 Alderman Paul Sander told Compton. "I'm a huge supporter of what you're trying to do. There's a procedure of what we need to do to get the ball rolling. It just doesn't happen (right away). But I certainly would be in favor of taking this down the road, seeing where it goes and what the possibilities might be."

Mayor Dwain Hahs recommended Compton give her presentation to the city's park board and they would be able to assist her further.