Aldermen Approve Land Transfer During Regular Meeting
By MARK EVANS
mevans@stegenherald.com
With Ward 1 Alderwoman Susie Johnson acting as mayor pro tem in Mayor Paul Hassler’s absence, the Ste. Genevieve Board of Aldermen swept through a brief regular meeting agenda in just 20 minutes last Thursday night.
The board passed an ordinance on first and second reading, allowing the transfer of 49.04 acres along Progress Parkway to be transferred from the Ste. Genevieve County Catholic Church Real Estate Corporation (SGCCCRA) to the city of Ste. Genevieve.
On May 12, the board had approved the transfer of 59.60 acres of land to the SGCCCRA as part of a land swap. The city intends to develop a new subdivision on its newly acquired land.
Developing a new subdivision in that part of town has been discussed on several occasions the past few years. A lack of available mid price housing has been cited as a serious obstacle to growth for both the city and county.
The first reading of an ordinance approving a special permit for Clare Bauman and Armondo Guizar to have guest lodging at 89 Seraphin Street was also passed. This was after no negative feedback was heard at a public hearing earlier in the meeting. The request had been approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
The board also approved the second reading of an ordinance allowing additional handicapped parking spaces downtown.
During his city administrator’s report, Happy Welch said that David Christensen of Cochran Engineering would be at the June 9 work session to review the Pavement Preventative Maintenance Plan and to discuss condition of streets, costs, etc.
He reported that the seal coating on the Progress Parkway walking trail was completed. He said the process should be added to the five-year maintenance plan for the trail.
He also reported that compression breaks for the new Parkwood concrete pavement were over 4,000 dsi. He noted that this is good news. No voids were found under the concrete. The man-made breaks will need to be sealed within two years.