City Council Considers Renaming “Sewer Branch” Back to “Pearl River”

The Sedalia City Council paid notice to a small stream on Tuesday night (Sept. 3) that many people insist on calling “Sewer Branch.” A request has been made to change the name back to “Pearl River.”

The Pearl River is really a stream here in Sedalia that has been used for everything from a garbage dump to an outlet for toilets in the past. While the stream used to run through the city, and would have been more visible a century or so ago, it can now be viewed best by going North on Grand Avenue just past Hubbard Park where a small bridge with yellow metal rails straddles the shallow stream of water. A sign that warns against swimming may seem like a waste of metal to some, but it is probably there to deter children who see all water as inviting unless it contains soap.

There are efforts underway to clean up the waterway with help from volunteers and members of the Sedalia Source Water Protection Committee. Two of the members of that committee were recognized for their conservation efforts at Tuesday night’s city council meeting. Phil Webster and Mona McCormick received plaques from Naomi Gebo of the Missouri Conservation Department.

Listen to our interviews with Mona McCormick and Naomi Gebo below.