Jackson aldermen get more details on abandonment of East Jefferson to Immaculate Conception

The city�s work continues with Immaculate Conception Church and School over the abandonment of East Jefferson Street between the two buildings, city attorney Tom Ludwig told the Jackson Board of Aldermen at Monday�s regular meeting, during the study session.

Ludwig said he has been working with Al Stoverink, a deacon at Immaculate Conception parish and former city staff member in Cape Girardeau, on a plan to abandon the section of East Jefferson Street between North Hope and South Ohio streets.

�Al has a wealth of municipal experience, and understands both sides of this particular situation,� Ludwig said of Stoverink, who heads the committee at Immaculate Conception to plan the construction of a new church building.

The agreement is not final, Ludwig said, but he presented some bullet points for the board�s consideration before meeting with Stoverink.

The city will abandon the section of East Jefferson Street, and prior to construction of the new church building, the roadway will be blocked to through traffic but accessible to emergency responders and utilities.

Immaculate Conception�s design would incorporate appropriate access in the event of an active shooter situation, as well, Ludwig said.

City utility easements would be maintained, and any utilities needing to be relocated will be handled at the church and school's expense.

Finally, the agreement must be approved by the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau after it�s approved by the city and by the parish, Ludwig said.

New special use permit process proposed

Building superintendent Janet Sanders said during the study session the city is working on a new policy to help streamline the special-use permit application process and accompanying public notices.

�Rezoning and special-use permits just take a long time,� Sanders said. �It�s a three-month process, and it�s all waiting.�

Hearings must be set at board of aldermen meetings, and those meetings are held only on the first and third Mondays of the month. Certain months have five Mondays, or meetings may be moved due to holidays, and that means a delay for special-use permit applicants� hearing being set, Sanders said.

In those cases, Sanders asked that city clerk Liza Walker be authorized to submit a hearing notice to the Cash-Book Journal newspaper before their publication deadline. The request to set the hearing would be on the next aldermen meeting agenda, but would not have officially been set.

If the hearing is not set, a cancellation notice would then be published, Sanders said.

Other action

• The special-use permit for a doggy day care at 608 Rosamund St. in Jackson was approved.
• The 2018 tax rates for general revenue, parks and recreation, cemetery and band were approved. The rates are the same as 2017 rates.
• Two public hearings will be held at 6 p.m. Sept. 10 at Jackson City Hall, 101 Court St.: a special-use permit request for gun sales as part of a retail business at 105 E. Adams St., and a request to rezone 304 N. Missouri St. from residential to central business district.
• A stop sign and crosswalk will be added to South Oklahoma Street near Jackson High School, the parking designation altered and parking prohibited schedule amended, after the board members passed ordinances. These ordinances will go into effect today, just in time for the start of the school year on Wednesday, noted Mayor Dwain Hahs.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

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