Jackson rezones office of former lawyer

The building that housed the firm of a now-disbarred lawyer in Jackson could one day be home to a restaurant, ice cream shop or barbershop.

During its meeting Monday, the Jackson Board of Aldermen approved rezoning the Joe Buerkle law firm from professional office district to local commercial district. The move allows for the building at 709 E. Main St. to be used for such purposes as retail food stores, restaurants without a drive-through, gift card shop and bed and breakfast, building and planning superintendent Janet Sanders said.

The building has sat empty since Buerkle surrendered his law license and was disbarred in August. Buerkle faces one felony count of stealing for allegedly taking $325,000 from a trust fund and depositing the money into his personal account.

The aldermen also approved a company that will perform the final phase of a project designed to provide better power management in emergency situations for the city.

Scheduled to begin sometime this month, the phase will involve the installation of the final six circuits that currently generate 4,000 volts, mainly in the uptown area. The company approved during the meeting was Asplundh Corp. of Fenton, Mo., which will finish the project for $828,649.57.

"We're not having power outages in that area, but we don't want to wait for it to come to that point before we perform the upgrade," said city administrator Jim Roach. "Some of the existing infrastructure in that part of the city is probably 30 years old. Some of it has outlived its life, and it's time to reinvest and upgrade it."

Later in the meeting the aldermen awarded contracts for mowing services on fields and parks throughout the city.

Of the 10 companies that submitted bids, four were awarded contracts from as little as $190 to as much as $615 for each time a respective field or location in Jackson is mowed.

Roach estimates that hiring contract workers saves the city several thousand dollars.

"We don't have to hire more city workers to do the work," Roach said. "If we had more of our workers on the payroll, that would cost us salaries, benefits and added equipment."

Companies awarded the contracts along with the amount each one will receive for every time they mow are:

* Rockhill and Sons Mowing Service of Jackson, $249 at Brookside Park and $540 at Litz Park.

* Goodson Lawn Service of Whitewater, $199 at Jackson Football Park and $190 at Jackson Soccer Park.

* Prestigious Lawn Care of Dutchtown, $245 at various Jackson locations.

* Eftink Lawn Service of Cape Girardeau, $615 at Jackson City Park.

In other action, the aldermen:

* Approved authorization of $39,300 to Burns & McDonnell of St. Louis for the 2010 Electric Cost of Service Study.

* Amended the 2010 annual budget.

* Authorized the closure of Barton Street between East Main Street and East Washington Street, from 5 to 9 p.m. April 10, May 8, June 12, July 10, Aug. 14 and Sept. 11 for the monthly Cruisin' Uptown Jackson event.

* Tabled a motion for approval of the preliminary plat of Bent Creek Subdivision, Phase 7, as submitted by Robert K. Litzelfelner.

* Accepted the dedication of temporary construction easement deeds from Warren and Diana Aldredge, Douglas and Catherine Boren, Gloria Krueger, Julia Oliver, and Eric and Martha Venable, for the North Hope Street Improvement Project.

bblackwell@semissourian.com

388-3628

Pertinent address:

101 Court St., Jackson, MO

709 E. Main St., Jackson, MO