Scott City officials reach agreement with landowner

The process of closing the Old Illmo lagoon in Scott City is near completion, well ahead of the December deadline set by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

The Scott City Council voted 7-1 Monday night to approve a contract with landowner Monty Keesee to terminate the lease the city had on the lagoon ground. As part of the contract, the city will pay $50,000 to Keesee and he will seed the lagoon's eight acres per DNR regulations.

The city closed the lagoon through a contract with Heartland Application and Equipment for $141,844. Initial cost estimates for the closing were about $130,000 and later adjusted to about $150,000 before the final cost was determined.

In other business:

* The council voted 8-0 to adopt the standards of the state's possession by consumption law, under which minors can be prosecuted for alcohol possession for a blood alcohol content of 0.02 or more. The new ordinance also added a provision to the city code making it illegal for an adult to allow a minor to drink on personal property unless the adult is the minor's parent or guardian.

* Park department director Phyllis Crump announced the city's Halloween parade will take place with line-up at 9 a.m. and parade at 10 a.m. Saturday.

* The council approved a motion allowing bids to be taken for demolition of a condemned structure at 123 Cherry St.

* The council approved a motion allowing the police department to use about $33,000 in funds from an expired state grant program. The money was found in a state audit and is money owed the police department that was never awarded from a grant program that lasted from 1995-2000. Part of the funds -- about $7,800 -- will be held until the police department learns about the status of a current grant application for bulletproof vests.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182