The City Council amended a Mid-Town TIF (Tax Increment Financing) project for the third time Monday evening to allow the J.A. Lamy Manufacturing building, located at North Ohio and Pacific, to be added to the project so it can be refurbished into a retail, office and residential facility.

The building, built in 1893, is owned by Stafford Swearingen, who presented his plans to the Council June 18. Also presenting at that time was Jennifer Baird, Lauber Municipal Law Firm; and Ben Hart of Springsted, Inc. Swearingen attended the meeting, but did not speak publicly.

The TIF Commission reviewed the proposed amendment and recommended Council approval.

Also on Monday, Council approved an updated comprehensive plan to mitigate hazards so that FEMA funding can be more easily obtained in the event of an emergency. The plan coordinates with Pettis County. The last plan was adopted in 2012 and is now due for review, according to Councilman Tollie Rowe.

The Council also approved a contract for materials to replace the aeration system for the City's Southeast Wastewater Treatment Plant, which is failing. City staff will perform the work.  Of the two bids received, staff recommended the lowest bidder, Core and Main, at a cost of $57,831.72.

Poort Excavating was the lowest bidder of four to perform work in the areas of South Woodland and 5th, and 20th Street east of Kentucky, for the City's storm water management plan. The contract is for $98,948.

Also, the Council allocated enough funding to complete two blocks of the Streetscape project in downtown Sedalia.  Ohio between 5th and 7th street will be worked on through allocation of the City's remaining Surface Transportation Funding (STP) made available through MoDOT and the Mid-Town TIF Redevelopment Plan. Available STP funding is $246,924.06 and available TIF funding is $80,000 for a grand total of $326,924.06.

City leaders ranked this project sixth out of 16 during a strategic planning session held earlier this year.

The Public Works Board, which now oversees the water department, has entered into a master services agreement with Bartlett and West, an engineering firm, on behalf of the City doing business as the Sedalia Water Department.

Sedalia Parks & Rec proposed a restructuring that adds one position. Previously, there was a Recreational Superintendent who reported to Director Amy Epple, and a Recreational Supervisor who reported to the superintendent. The new system replaces two positions with three at the supervisory level, with specialized programming groups under each one. The Sedalia Park Board already approved the changes and was awaiting Council approval. Epple detailed the changes to the Council.

At the start of Monday night's meeting, six employees were recognized for their service to the City, including building inspector Neal Harman, five years in Community Development; Nicole Rugen, five years in the City's IT Department; three firefighters each with 10 years of service, Scott Smoot, Nathan Smith and Cory Rettke; and Airport Attendant Larry Perriguey, 20 years of service at Sedalia Regional Airport.

In addition, two retirees were honored for their service to the City, including Sedalia Police Officer Todd Nappe, with eight years, six and three-fourths months of service; and David Moore, with 29 years, eight months of service to Sedalia Parks & Rec.

The only award recipients in attendance Monday night were the firefighters and Mr. Moore.

Representatives from Saturday's Cheers! Central Mo Wine & Beer Festival, held in downtown Sedalia June 30, showed up to thank the Council, City staff, Sedalia Police, Pettis County deputies and a host of volunteers who helped make the event a success.  Event Chairman Matt Maggard, along with Child Safe Board Members Sue Squires and Jackie Cooley, said they could not have held the event without everyone's cooperation.

Organizers estimated the crowd at around 300 maximum. Mayor John Kehde said he thought the wine and beer festival was well organized, but that the extreme heat probably hindered attendance. Organizers were originally expecting anywhere from 600 to 1,000 people to attend.

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