During the regular Maryville City Council meeting July 24, city officials asked city staff to move forward with city-initiated rezoning throughout the campus town overlay.

The rezoning would change the zone from R-2 to R-2M, allowing for duplexes to be built on the property lots.

In December 2016, council directed staff to approach property owners for lots located between West Sixth Street and West Seventh Street from North Walnut to North Fillmore.

Staff talked to 14 of the 18 owners in the area. Thirteen of them own rental units and were in favor of the rezoning; one lived in the home they owned and was not in support of the initiative.

The matter will now go to the planning and zoning committee. If it approves the initiative, the matter will come back to the council for final consideration at a later date.

In other business, the council approved the purchase and installation of 15,815 linear feet of data, phone, speaker and video lines in the Mozingo Conference Center from Northwest Audio Visual, Maryville, for $21,471. Originally, the audio/visual equipment was budgeted in the 2018 budget. However, since the center is currently being wired, staff decided to go ahead and lay the lines now.

Laura Street Baptist Church was approved to hold its annual water wars event from 4 to 9 pm, Friday, August 11. South Laura Street from First Street to Thompson Street and East Jenkins Street from South Alvin to South Mattie Street will be closed for the event.

There was discussion about the Mozingo Community Assistance Program with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). The original program had a 25-year contract which expired in June.

If the city agrees to renew the contract, it will be for an additional 25 years. The MDC provides all fish management and will pay for 75 percent of capital projects. Some of the projects on the wish list would include asphalt on the parking lot and driveway to the state boat ramp and the installation of a kayak dock. No action was taken.

City Manager Greg McDanel reported that the previously approved water-sewer inflow and infiltration project has begun and was expected to take 90 days to complete.

Maryville Public Safety officers began 12-hour shifts and are getting used to the new routine.

Maryville Public Safety and Northwest Cell have teamed up to bring anti-bullying and sexting awareness speaker Allyson Pereira to Maryville. She will speak to area students at the Maryville Performing Arts Center, Maryville High School, Monday and Tuesday, August 21 and 22. She will also hold a presentation for parents and the general public at 7 pm, August 21.

The council went into closed session to discuss leasing, purchasing or sale of real estate.