In one of the shortest Sedalia City Council meetings in recent history, council took care of some housekeeping items, as well as approved the purchase of an abandoned home that will eventually be demolished.
Council approved an ordinance approving and accepting a recorded collector’s deed from Pettis County for property at 421 N. Missouri Ave. purchased by the city at public auction for $504.43. The land includes an abandoned residence. While the residence isn’t on the list of structures to be demolished this year, City Administrator Gary Edwards said he expects it will be demolished this year.
“I anticipate at some point in the not-too-distant future, depending on budget, there will be a demolition of that,” Edwards told the Democrat. “… We have it boarded up and I anticipate at some point there will be a demolition.”
The residence has seen drug activity, and was the location of the July 2015 homicide that killed 16-year-old Andrew Meyers during a drug deal. It probably would’ve reached the dangerous buildings process, City Attorney Anne Gardner told council during the pre-council meeting, if the city hadn’t purchased it.
Council also approved an ordinance deleting Section 6.4 of the city’s Personnel Regulations Manual and adding a new Section 6.4 pertaining to voluntary sick leave. Edwards said the city already allows employees to donate sick time to a fellow employee in need, if they had a surgery or other major illness that required more sick days than allotted to one person. This new section adds that an employee can ask for sick time donations for family emergencies as well, such as if a husband needs to care for his wife after surgery.
With the election of Ward 4 Councilwoman Megan Page and Ward 1 Councilman Jeff Leeman being elected Mayor Pro-Tem, the committees have changed. The committees are now:
• Public Safety — Ward 2 Councilman Russell Driskell, chair, and Ward 1 Councilwoman Jo Lynn Turley, vice chair.
• Public Works — Ward 4 Councilman Tollie Rowe, chair, and Page, vice chair.
• Finance and Administration — Ward 3 Councilman Don Meier, chair, and Ward 2 Councilwoman Bonita Nash, vice chair.
During the meeting council also:
• Approved an ordinance amending Section 10-90 of the Fee Schedule of the Code of Ordinances relating to penalty for commencement of construction without permit and incorporating said fee into the fee schedule.
• Approved a records destruction request from the city clerk’s office.
• Approved a records destruction request from the Personnel Department.
• Approved an ordinance amending Ordinance No. 9940 relating to amending existing classifications and job descriptions for Chief Building Official, Housing Specialist and Code Enforcement Officer and deleting an existing classification and job description of Finance/Court Assistant.
• Approved the following appointments:
Curt Williams and Dave Wiedeman to the Airport Board for six-year terms expiring June 2023.
David Goldsmith and Deidre Esquivel to the Citizens Traffic Advisory Commission for three-year terms expiring June 2020.
Jerry Case, Les Wolpers and Megan Simon to the Park Board.
Don Meyer to the Plumbers Examining Board for a one-year term expiring June 2018.
Nick Coble and America Perez to the Police Personnel Board for five-year terms expiring June 2022.
