O’Riley returns to work at Hopkins City Hall

Hopkins City Clerk Dee O’Riley has returned to work and attended the October 7 city council meeting.

She reported she is trying to catch the city up on paperwork. O’Riley is not able to work every day. She plans to write a letter to one of two nuisance ordinance complaints from the September meeting. One resident has satisfactorily taken care of the problem.

The council discussed ways of making O’Riley more comfortable as she works. She said she was as comfortable as possible in the circumstances and she would let them know if something was needed.

Chief Operator Jack Baldwin reported he had been contacted by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources about the lagoon permit he had submitted in June 2017. This permit had expired in July 2018. Turnover in the DNR office has caused challenges. This was the fourth person he had talked to about the lagoon. He was told DNR was trying to get lagoons and sewer systems in the same geographical area on the same cycle to help with needed inspections.

The council conducted the first reading of the Floodplain Management Ordinance. This  ordinance will permit Hopkins residents to have floodplain insurance. Mayor Kelly Morrison was told there are seven active flood insurance policies in Hopkins.

The council approved a change of the designation of the floodplain administrator from the mayor to the city clerk. It was discussed the added duties weren’t in line with the mayor’s salary of $25 per month. Since the city clerk is more readily available to the residents, it was felt she could take on the added duties with assistance from the mayor and aldermen.

O’Riley will retype the ordinance with changes and it will be ready for the second reading at the November 4 meeting.

Baldwin explained the $2,160 cost of a new sewer pump. The city has two spare pumps, one was installed when a pump quit. Baldwin stated it would have cost more to repair than to replace the pump. He plans to install the new pump in place of the spare since it is under warranty.

A liquor license was approved for M&M Pub and Grub LLC, Mike Coleman. The Pub and Grub is located where Hoepker’s Bar was at. The council members think it will be open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.