Jackson aldermen approve new water tower

A 400,000-gallon water tower planned for the Jackson Industrial Park on U.S. 61 North won approval Monday night from the city's Board of Aldermen.

The water tower will help increase line pressure for the northern and western sections of the city, assistant city administrator Larry Koenig said.

The tower is the latest step in a series of ongoing improvements in the city's water system. In 2003, the city approved drilling a new water well on the industrial park site to increase the system's capacity to deliver water to residents. In the past decade, the city has also laid several miles of new water mains and added pumps to the system.

To finance the project, the board also approved the sale of $1,455,000 in bonds and a lease with United Missouri Bank, which will be the holder of the notes as trustee, Jack Dillingham of Piper Jaffray brokerage firm from Kansas City.

The water tower is expected to cost $1.28 million, Dilingham said. The bond issue anticipates keeping $111,075 in reserve, with the remainder of the issue consumed by fees and other costs.

The bonds will be repaid over 20 years at a cost of about $107,000 annually.

Just prior to approving the new water tower, the board voted to accept the warranty deed for the industrial park property.

In other business, the board approved looser rules for being eligible for burial in the city cemetery. In the past, only people who could show a city property tax receipt were eligible for the lower fees charged city residents. Now, proof of residency or owning property within city limits will also be accepted.