Jackson mayor lays out priorities for city

Retail business development, an upgrade and expansion of the city's wastewater system and replacement of a pair of low-water bridges along Hubble Creek are three of the priority projects Jackson Mayor Dwain Hahs envisions for the community in the next one to three years.

The mayor presented a list of 10 priority projects during the Jackson Board of Aldermen's study session Monday night. The list was based on input gathered from the aldermen as well as from members of the city staff and Jackson residents.

Normally, the mayor said, community priorities would have been discussed by the aldermen and various city officials during the city government's annual retreat. However, this year's retreat was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so the aldermen and members of the city staff were surveyed instead.

Also during their study session, the aldermen discussed the proposed donation of 1.44 acres adjacent to Brookside Park in Jackson from Robert and Cindy Lichtenegger. The property would become an addition to Brookside Park.

Earlier on Monday evening, during the board's business meeting, the aldermen:

• Accepted proposals from SoutheastHEALTH of Cape Girardeau and Standard Insurance Co. of Portland, Oregon, related to the 2021 medical dental vision and life insurance benefit plans for city employees.
• Authorized the sale of property at 451 Cane Creek Road in Phase One of the Jackson North Industrial Park Subdivision to BRS LLC of Cape Girardeau at a purchase price of $110,000.
• Renewed the contract between the city and the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce relative to the chamber's employment of Jen Berti as the organization's director of retail development.
• Approved an ordinance authorizing a financial services agreement with Piper Sandler & Co. of Leawood, Kansas, related to revenue bond services the company is providing to the city.
• Authorized a task order in the amount of $17,700 to Koehler Engineering & Land Surveying Inc. of Cape Girardeau for engineering services related to the city's North Industrial Park sanitary sewer extension project.
• Approved a task order authorization in the amount of $16,695 to Horner & Shifrin Inc. of St. Louis for engineering services related to the city's wastewater rate study.
• Accepted documentation from the Jackson School District for the donation improvements related to the dugout replacement project at Field No. 5 in Jackson City Park.
• Approved a change order in the amount of $13,545.09 payable to Apex Paving Co. of Cape Girardeau in connection with the city's 2020 asphalt pavement improvement program.
• Approved, following a public hearing, an ordinance vacating a public alley in Weltecke's Addition as requested by Travis and Jessica King.
• Approved the city's 2021 contract with the Human Society of Southeast Missouri in the amount of $28,600.
• Approved the rescheduling of the board's second meeting in January from Jan. 18 to Jan. 20 in order to avoid conflict with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

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