CAMDENTON, Mo. – The Board of Aldermen last week addressed priorities within the city’s comprehensive plan.
At Tuesday’s regularly scheduled Board of Alderman meeting, City Administrator J. Jeff Hancock provided a written summary of the Comprehensive Plan Priority Session held May 17. The session was convened to “provide guidance as to [the City’s] needed focus” in budgeting for the 2016-2017 fiscal year and beyond.
On May 17, Community Development Specialist Michele Kroll with Camden County’s MO Extension office led City department directors, staff, and Aldermen in exercises to identify priorities. The results appear below:
• Water and Sewer Repair Strategy
• Extend Airport Runway
• Feasibility study for public services
• Develop a community center with recreation facilities
• Affordable workforce housing strategy
• Business Park-Technical Infrastructure
• Future Land Use Map/Compatibility Matrix (upgrade Zoning Ordinance)
• Rental Housing for all Income levels
• Improving visitor experience as a motorist and pedestrian
Hancock added the next step is to “upgrade the City's Zoning Ordinance;” a process that may extend over three years. The City budgeted $20,000 in this fiscal year for that purpose.
City department directors have received guidelines for the 2016-2017 budget process. Those guidelines include a request not to list any capital projects that were submitted during the previous year’s five-year budget projections. In other words, directors should identify only new capital projects that have come to their attention in the last year.
Hancock highlighted two points from his written report. The first had to do with the Veterans’ Memorial monument to be located at Camdenton Memorial Lake Regional Airport. For that project, the City received “no qualified bidders” and will need to confer in order to complete the project by the September 2016 Lake of the Ozarks Air Show.
The second highlight had to do with Missouri’s Department of Transportation (MO DOT) scheduled to resurface Highway 54 west of Camdenton’s Square to beyond Highway Y. Weather delays may affect the June 13 start-date as weather has impacted other MO DOT projects, but the when the work begins, it will take place evenings beginning at 6:00 p.m.
Weather has also impacted the tennis court reconstruction, but Parks Director Larry A. Bennett reported work began on Monday, May 6.
Chief Wright presented a draft of revisions to animal ordinances and fielded questions about them. The chief explained that residential satisfaction and health guidelines were the focus of her research and subsequent ordinance revisions after
City Attorney Morgan recommended the use of “a written application for rabbits,
chickens, domesticated Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs, ducks, turkeys or other domestic fowl at any residence or dwelling place and that animal control review the application details, such as location animals to be kept, type and size of enclosure and maximum number allowed.”
Aldermen approved the proposed ordinance changes with a few revisions recommended on a first reading. The Board will take up the ordinance for a second reading on June 21.
Alderman Eden asked City staff about streetlights at on/off ramps. He specifically asked what entity is responsible for replacement and/or repair. Hancock explained the lights at Highways 5 and 54 are Laclede Electric’s responsibility, some are MO DOT’s responsibility, and some are the city’s. He noted monthly reports are provided and assured Eden that he will follow up as there is a need at several locations.
