CITY COUNCIL MEETING JUNE 14, 2010 (Leeper, Zoning Regulations, Simpson Closings, Street Overlay Program)

City Ready for Action
Council says Leeper building a threat to public safety
Constitution-Tribune, June 15, 2010

Chillicothe City Council members have directed City Attorney Adam Warren to pursue all legal options to enable city representatives to get inside and conduct a structural inspection of the old vacant Leeper Hotel in downtown Chillicothe. These options, the attorney said, may include taking possession of the deteriorating structure.

Warren acknowledged to council members during their regular meeting Monday night, June 14, 2010, at City Hall that the city does not want the building, but stated that the current owner is not making the necessary steps to improve it and that the structure continues to threaten public safety.
"We need to take action to get the bare minimum done," the attorney said. "My job is to prosecute people for ordinance offenses."

Barricades were placed around the building last month in response to the potential threat of bricks falling from the four-story structure which is located at the northwest corner of Webster and Washington Streets.

Talks about the condition of the 1884 building and its immediate future were continued from a prior meeting and involved input from Main Street Chillicothe representatives who had asked the city for time to actively get involved with the new owner and exhaust all possibilities before conceding to the idea of having the structure condemned because of its appearance and threat to public safety. Main Street has agreed to provide $2,000 toward paying for a structural engineer. Main Street Chillicothe, at this time, is not prepared to take ownership of the building nor obtain liability insurance stating that insurance estimates are upwards of $1,000 a month.

Ken Lauhoff and Eva Danner, both representatives of Main Street Chillicothe, also attended the meeting. Lauhoff said that three years of back taxes are due on the building and that it was time to make a decision regarding its future.

In other business, council members conducted a public hearing and passed an ordinance amending the zoning regulations regarding the zoning/code official. Up until this time, the regulation states that the code official shall not be removed from office except for cause and after full opportunity to be heard on specific and relevant charges by and before the appointing authority. The amendment calls for the code official's employment status to be designated as an "at will" employee, consistent with the employment of all other city employees.

Council members on Monday also approved the temporary closing of Simpson Park in observance of several events including: the Culture Fair on June 19, the Freedom Festival on July 4, the Chillicothe Car Show in July, Chautauqua in September, and the Festival of Lights ceremonies for November and December.

In other business, council members were introduced to several new city employees: Shirley Shanon, Treasurer Assistant; Jamie Trent, auditor assistant; Daniel Hays, street department; Dave Mapel, Green Hills Golf Course clubhouse manager.

The council also approved a contract with Missouri EMS Agent Corporation which increases reimbursements for the city which contracts with the Livingston County Ambulance District to provide ambulance service.

Council OKs $158,000 Bid for Overlay Program

The city of Chillicothe is approaching this year's street overlay program with around 20 blocks of city streets identified to be worked on this summer.

Norris Asphalt of Ottumwa, Iowa, was chosen Monday night for the project after having submitted the low bid of $158,579.38. Work is scheduled to begin in August. Most of the new overlay is scheduled for Third Street, from Washington to South Woodrow, which has been identified for some time as a road needing improvement. Streets get placed on the overlay list through a condition rating process.

Also slated for overlays are South Woodrow, from Third Street to Crescent Drive, and Business 36 from the Lowe's home improvement store's east drive to Mitchell Road. Work on Business 36 will be paid for through funds in an escrow account that was established when the city assumed ownership from the state.

The program is funded through the city's general sales tax. Last year, the city spent $187,586 on the overlay program, and this year's budget calls for spending $180,000.