Sedalia City Council Reviews Priorities

The Sedalia City Council engaged in a work session to review Sedalia's short and long-term Strategic Goals and Priorities on Monday night.

City Administrator Gary Edwards presented a status report to the Council in order of priority:

*Public Safety Compensation for Fiscal Year 2017 has been completed.
*Annexation Policy, Criteria and Boundary Cleanup is ongoing.
*Airport Taxi-way with $50,000 in City Matching funds which leverages $450,000 in Federal funds, is budgeted and under way.
*Commercial Development Consideration and Redevelopment Incentive Policies are scheduled for final approval on Aug. 15.
*Street Maintenance and Construction Increase in Annual Funding (up to $1.7 M) is complete. The amount is somewhat less than expected, but still more than previous years.
*Influent Wastewater Screen Replacement has been delayed due to budgetary concerns, Edwards said. The cost of that project is $487,000.
*Ten Airport Hangars at a cost of $500,000 have been delayed for a future budget.
*Evaluate Costs and Next Steps to Address Police Station Needs. Bidding and design work are being done now, Edwards noted.
*Continue to Support “Clean-up Sedalia.” With the demolition of the old Broadway Arms at Highway 50 and Lamine, it brings the total cost from $100,000 to about $255,000, Edwards said.
*Continue to Support and Focus on Retail Recruitment is ongoing.

Other priorities for the City include:

*Improving the Main Street and Oak Grove Intersection, which is now a $600,00 project, Edwards noted, with the addition of an as-yet unnamed partner. The project is in the design phase now and funding is in place.

*Address Police Pension Gap for Fiscal Year 2017, a $230,000 gap.
*Fund Human Resources Compensation Study for $25,000 for Fiscal year 2017. This project was not funded.

*Water Line Cost Sharing work is underway, with the Sedalia Water Department spearheading the effort. That review is complete.
*Create Mixed-Use Development Policy
*Increase Sidewalk Construction. The current budget provides $50,000 annually, but the new budget will allow $100,000 for sidewalks. And Public Works anticipates using all of this amount, Edwards noted.
*Information Technology Consulting for $20,000 for two contracts. Funds are provided in the budget for technology consulting.
*Annex Trailer Parks. That process is complete.

Long-term top priorities for the City of Sedalia are:

*To construct additional infrastructure, including transportation and roadway improvements and strategies.
*Focus on evaluating long-term maintenance of City facilities. That process is ongoing.
*Consider the next steps to construct a community center (A review is under way).
*Continue citywide commercial and residential development, which is ongoing.
*Focus on downtown revitalization and building inspections, an ongoing process.
*Consider establishing a Storm Water District. A small amount of funding was obtained from the Parks tax, it was noted. The City is using a part of the Use Tax provided to Parks for stormwater, Edwards noted, adding that this was the first time that had been done.

During the regular Council meeting, the Council (minus an absent Jo Lynn Turley) voted to extend the moratorium on demolition permits for 90 days in the downtown area on Ohio between Main and Broadway.

Council approved a rezoning application by Lawrence J. Klein for property located at 1602 S. Harrison, 1606 S. Harrison and 1618 S. Harrison. (The issue was previously tabled at the June 6, June 20 and July 5 meetings).

Council approved the purchase of a property room bar code kit for the Sedalia Police Department to replace a bad unit. The vote of full Council was necessary because it was an “unbugeted item.”

Yard of the Month winners in the “Way to Grow Sedalia” contest were recognized by Mayor Stephen J. Galliher for each of the winners from the four wards. Terri Hunter accepted for her daughter Heather Hunter, 1100 Wilkerson (First Ward); Byron and Judy Matson, 705 W. 6th (Second Ward); Charles Lowe, 1214 E. 11th (Third Ward and Grand Prize winner); and Cheryl Ann Griffin, 912 S. Harrison (Fourth Ward).

Nine service awards were presented at the start of Monday night's meeting. Only two were able to accept their awards in person. Officer Travis St. Cyr was recognized for 10 years of service with the Sedalia Police Department. And John Simmons was recognized by Mayor Galiher for 10 years with Community Development

Others mentioned included Kelley Casto, 15 years with the SPD; Bradley Blankenship, 10 years with the Street Dept.; Matthew Sprinkles, 10 years with SPD; Daniel Shaw, 10 years with the Sedalia Fire Dept.; Keith Cook, 5 years with the Sanitation Dept.; and Kennith Wood, 5 years with the Sanitation Dept.

In the main photo, Mayor Galliher congratulates SPD Officer Travis St. Cyr on his 10 years of dedication to the City of Sedalia.