The Jefferson City Council met Tuesday night

During open forum, resident James Lorenzen addressed the Council on two concerns. He requested the Council look into the City’s ordinance regarding length and the amount of times hayfields have to be cut down. He said his neighbor’s hayfield is filled with snakes and he was concerned with them biting his grandkids and it didn’t look presentable. He also asked the Council to look into the issue with a sidewalk uptown. His wife recently fell and was injured because he claimed part of the sidewalk was sticking up. City Administrator Mike Palmer said the City’s insurance adjuster would be out to look at the situation later this week. Mayor Craig Berry said they would look into both issues.

Then the Council held a public hearing on a general obligation loan agreement of $243,000 for a ten-foot wide “shared use” path on Central Avenue from Highway 4 to Walnut Street. Following no public comments, the Council included that amount as part of a total of $2,540,000 in general obligation bonds, with the June 25th meeting as the date to sell them. There are other projects and equipment included in the overall total of the bond amount.

Then following another public hearing, where no comments were made, the Council approved the plans and specifications for the relocation of 243rd Street for the airport runway extension project. Additionally, the Council also approved a supplemental grant through the Federal Aviation Administration for construction of the project.

Next, the Council approved the appointment of Jerry Roberts to the Library Board of Trustees, along with the second readings to increase the compensation for Council members up to $60 per meeting and the mayor’s compensation to $400 per month. They also approved the city administrator’s contract for a one-year extension with a four-percent raise in salary.

Following a discussion, the Council decided to eliminate the sunset date on the three-year, 100-percent tax abatement policy for residential and commercial improvements, and they will approve a ten-year tax abatement for improvements to multi-family residential properties. Those approvals are anticipated to happen next month.

Finally, the Council heard an update from the Thomas Jefferson Gardens Board.