Maryville council hears of downtown summer events

The Maryville City Council heard about three downtown events planned this summer.

The events’ leaders all requested specific streets and parking lots to be closed for the safety of the participants. The council approved the Maryville Chamber’s annual summer concert series with the first being Kids Block Party, Thursday, May 27, the preliminary round of the Pick-Up Country KNIM’s Country Showdown, Saturday, June 19 and Nodaway County Fair, July 15 through 17 including the parade on the 17th.

The council made it official for several re-appointments to two city boards: Travis Pierson and Larry Haataja to the Planning and Zoning Commission and DeAnn Davison, Kelly Quinlin and Jeff Ferguson to the Maryville Park and Recreation Board.

The leaders accepted improvements to Tranquility Court, Final Phase, owned and developed by Double B Development, LLC, subject to a two year guarantee period.

After city staff reviewed credentials from two bidders, the council executed a contract with David E Ross Construction for construction manager at-risk services for the Mozingo Lake’s GAC project. The work will be part of the $1.2 million approved with the HDR engineering. Public Water Supply District #1 of Nodaway County has agreed to provide up to $600,000 to fix the water taste-smell issue.

City Manager Greg McDanel presented a lengthy report that included updates about the revision of the South Main Corridor Improvement plan which has not been approved by a federal agency yet and he is still planning on a mid-summer start on construction, a call has been made for request for proposals for an upcoming comprehensive sewer and water rate study, the aerial ladder truck will be delivered in late July, Mozingo latest water results seeing increased algae bloom with chemical treatment beginning this week to continue until the entire lake is covered, a future Mozingo Lake conservation watershed management meeting with upstream farmers, the summer’s asphalt mill and overlay begininng, $2.1 million of the American Rescue Plan will be coming to the city, and a legislative action update.

City Clerk Stacy Wood reported McDanel is one of the 18 nominees from the LAGERS 2021 Local Government Heroes for his efforts during the COVID-19 event.

Councilman Dannen Merrill shared about he and John McBride’s visit with Billy Mires, a landowner whose farm is in the Mozingo Lake watershed area. One of the questions from Mires was the lack of outreach to the property owners within the watershed and if a hotspot study of nitrogen and phorphorus drainage was planned. McDanel responded by noting due to COVID-19 need to reduce the size of gatherings, the meetings were more one-on-one.

McBride posed several questions to the city staff asking if the demonstration could be presented to the council from Missouri Rural Water Association and NCRS that was presented to the Nodaway County Commissioners, NCED and Maryvillle Chamber leaders. McDanel responded the Mozingo Advisory Board will be seeing it at their next meeting.

The newly elected McBride also asked about the future utilization of the Mosaic Child Care’s barrier free playground equipment and if it could be relocated for greater access. Maryville Park and Recreation Director Jeff Stubblefield answered noting the move of the equipment would be cost-prohibitive, estimated at $250,000, and he noted the plan is to keep the playground open to the public.