Council Authorizes Contract For Skatepark, Changes Zoning Codes On Three Properties
By Sue Curry Jones
The Ava Board of Aldermen met in regular session Tuesday evening, with city council President Burrely Loftin presiding over the meeting as Mayor Eddie Maggard was absent due to illness.
Acting on recommendations from planning and zoning, the council unanimously approved revising code designations on several properties as listed below:
– 307 SW 3rd Avenue, owned by Douglas County Senior Citizens Housing Assn. (Redbud Village) was changed from agriculture to R-3 multi-family residential;
– 501 SW 3rd Avenue, owned by Tom McSwain, was changed from agriculture to R-1 single family residential; and
– property owned by Roger and Julia Huskey, 407 SW 3rd Avenue, was rezoned from agriculture to R-1 single-family residential.
Council also adopted an ordinance establishing procedures for handling conflicts of interest for city officials. The annual conflict of interest ordinance notes all elected and appointed officials must comply with the Missouri Revised Statutes, as well as obey state laws governing conduct. The ordinance includes requirements for filing financial statements and reports.
During the meeting, council also authorized Mayor Maggard to execute a contract agreement with Hood-Rich, Inc. as the engineering design firm for the skatepark and restrooms planned for the Ava Park. The motions to approve were given by councilmen David Norman and Ric Engelhardt; the vote was 4-0.
City employee Janice Lorrain reported to council members about a recent meeting with the Department of Natural Resources Geology / Land Survey division, and their plan for remedying the problem with the newly constructed city well located south of Ava.
Lorrain noted the group thought the well site was drilled properly and according to standards, therefore additional testing was in order to determine the source or cause of the E coli in the tank. According to Lorrain, the group plans to place a video camera down the well to assess the site from inside, and if this procedure is inconclusive, the group plans to perform conductivity tests.
According to Lorrain, it is hoped the test results will determine a new plan of action for addressing the E Coli problem in the well. However, during the testing, the pump will be pulled from the well for a cost of approximately $5,000.
An ordinance to amend the speed designations on Industrial Park Road was tabled at the request of the city street department.
Judy Shields, director of the Ava Area Chamber of Commerce also gave a quarterly update on recent Chamber activities.
Councilmen attending the meeting were Ric Engelhardt, Burrely Loftin, Billy Long and David Norman.
The Ava Board of Aldermen will reconvene on Tuesday, August 14, 5:00 p.m. at City Hall. Meetings are open to the public.
