At the May 1 Pickering City Council meeting, the aldermen approved of Julie Blane stepping into the vacant alderman position created by the resignation of Alderman Dale Sharp.

The non-election, election results of the April 4 election were accepted. Both Blane and returning Alderman Brad Renfro were sworn into office.

The aldermen reviewed the two mowing and weed-eating bids, one from Brad Renfro, Pickering, and the other from Oberhauser Lawncare, Hopkins. Renfro’s bid was $125 per mowing and Oberhauser’s bid was $140 per mowing. The council went with Renfro.

The swing set has come in. Preparations have begun to prepare the park for it. Branches have been removed from a tree and the postboxes have been moved. The city is looking for someone to bring dirt in and level the area. Trees will be planted.

City Clerk Milt Sovereign has completed and submitted the state audit, the sewer DNR audit and the COVID recovery funds audit. The last one was completed with the help of Nodaway County Treasurer Marilyn Jenkins.

Mayor Charles Smith has been talking with Mid-America Road Builders, Platte City, about chipping and sealing the streets not repaired last year. Smith will receive estimates and the council will decide based on the money available. As of April 30, the city has $16,756.10 in the street fund.

The landscaping bill from Carla Vore for $445 was paid. This took care of the mulch, plants, landscaping timbers and labor for the landscaping of the community center building and the area around the highway sign.

The Hazardous Mitigation Plan resolution was accepted. Discussion was held on emergency preparedness. The basement of the Christian Church has been wired for a generator and could be used for storms. The community building is also wired for a generator and could be used as a warming center in the case of a power outage in winter.

Pickering still has $13,986.08 in the American Rescue Plan Act account which needs to be spent this year on sewer renovations.