Jackson aldermen postpone Fruitland annexation hearings pending public vote

The Jackson Board of Aldermen decided Monday to postpone five public hearings and a vote on extending the city limits until after voters determine in February whether 240 acres of Fruitland can be annexed.

The board made plans to hear public comment before receiving certification Nov. 23 of a petition challenging a request by the Hoffmeister family and Heartland Materials quarry to join the city. Enough Jackson voters signed the petition to bring the issue to the ballot, and a vote is scheduled for Feb. 7 to coincide with the presidential primary.

If voters reject the annexation request, four neighboring parcels will become ineligible because their borders will not touch the existing city limits. If voters decide to bring the quarry into Jackson, the city limits will extend across U.S. 61 for the first time.

A hearing was scheduled for 7 p.m. Jan. 17 to provide a forum for Jackson voters to learn how the quarry annexation would affect the city and to allow interested parties to share their opinions.

The hearings that will be rescheduled, pending the outcome of the February vote, will address planning and zoning requests by the Heartland parcel and voluntary annexation requests by Hoffmeister Real Estate LLC, Hoffmeister Stake and Handle Co., Strack Excavating LLC, Walter and Harriet Drusch and the William J. Penrod Revocable Living Trust.

Recycled goods

In other business, the board approved contracting with a new provider for disposal of recycled goods, CWI Republic Services Inc. of Scottsdale, Ariz., to replace ISI Environmental and Recycling of Mounds, Ill., beginning Jan. 1.

Rodney Bollinger, director of public works, said bids were received by CWI Republic, ISI Environmental and Recycling, and Seraphim Plastics LLC of Warren, Mich.

"CWI Republic provided the best, most responsive and most advantageous proposal for the recycling of our scrap post-consumer byproducts. Their proposal is a full-service program that includes transportation, trailers for bale storage, roll-off containers and Gaylord storage boxes," Bollinger said by email Monday.

Bollinger said the new contract would yield roughly $2,016 in monthly rebates generated by reselling recyclable goods, about $500 more per month than the previous contract.

Contract renewed

The Humane Society of Southeast Missouri received a renewal of its contract with the city for 2012 for $22,100.

David Roth, vice president of the board of directors, said in the board study session Nov. 21 that the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri provides local animal shelter services, including accepting lost or surrendered animals and sanitary disposal of animal remains, in compliance with the Animal Control Facilities Act.

The contract provides half the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri's operation costs; the rest comes from private donations.

The board did host one public hearing Monday night, on a request for a special-use permit variance for the Jackson Area Baseball Association to change previous permit guidelines requiring a tree barrier around Whitey Herzog Stadium. The board asked for a study to determine what would be necessary to meet the rules of the permit as well as challenges presented by rocky soil in the outfield. Janet Sanders, planning and zoning superintendent, said the board has 35 days after the hearing to make a formal response.

Alderman David Hitt announced that the Jackson Ministerial Alliance will sponsor a "stuff a truck" day to benefit the Jackson food pantry from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 17 in the Legion hall parking lot in Jackson. Canned goods and nonperishable items collected will go to the about 170 families that rely on the food pantry.

salderman@semissourian.com

388-3648

Pertinent address:

101 Court St., Jackson, MO

Fruitland, MO