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Jackson trash, swimming, fees may increase

Jackson residents may see an increase in their trash fees in 2020. A proposal made during the study session of the Nov. 19 Mayor and Board of Aldermen meeting was to increase rates from $6 to $10 a month starting Jan. 1, 2020.

“The idea behind the proposed increase is to fully fund the Solid Waste Department with fees rather than fees and a transfer from sales tax,” said City Administrator Jim Roach.

Also during study session, Parks and Recreation Director Shane Anderson presented two proposals to the Board regarding increases in swimming fees for next summer.

The pool entry fee will increase from $3 to $4 for swimmers age 5 and older Monday-Saturday. Sunday admission will remain the same at $1.50. Children ages 4 and under will continue to be admitted free.

Swimming lessons will increase in cost from $20 to $25. Lessons last eight hours; one hour a day for two weeks Monday-Thursday.

“There has not been a raise in 12 years,” Anderson explained.

“We don’t increase our fees very often. We think it’s appropriate. We think it’s still very much a really good deal.” The increases are a way to offset increased costs.

In other action

• Charter city: City Attorney Tom Ludwig said he has “dug into some very old law” and is meeting with attorneys from charter cities. He intends to put together a “bullet list” of pros and cons of becoming a charter city for the Dec. 2 meeting of the Board.

• Power plant: The Board approved an $11,964 change order to Boulder Construction, LLC, of Cape Girardeau for its work on the Power Plant Maintenance Building Repair Project.

• Retail development: The Board authorized a contract with the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce to continue to help fund the Retail Development Cooperative Employment Agreement.

• MAGNET: The Board authorized again a contract between the City and MAGNET for solicitation of business, industry and commerce. Mayor Dwain Hahs was appointed to serve on the Cape Girardeau Area MAGNET Board of Directors for a one-year term beginning January 2020.

• Meeting date change: The Board approved moving the Board meeting on Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, to Wednesday, Jan. 22, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

• Appointments: The Board approved the mayor’s appointment of Leigha Kopf to the Community Outreach Board and Estelee Wood to the Historic Preservation Commission.

• Public hearing: The Board set a public hearing for 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 16, to consider a proposed text amendment to Chapter 57 of the Code of ordinances relative to enabling limited-access land development as submitted by the City of Jackson.

Gregory Dullum has worked for The Cash-Book Journal for more than 25 years. Prior to becoming the editor in May 2017, he was production manager, circulation manager and reporter. Before moving to Cape Girardeau in 1988, he was editor of the Saint Louis Park Sailor, a weekly community newspaper in suburban Minneapolis, MN. A native of Minnesota, he returned there after graduating with distinction in 1978 from Ambassador College in Pasadena, CA, with a degree in mass communications. His wife, Marie, whom he met in college, is a native of Zalma, a small town in southeast Missouri. They have two grown daughters and five grandchildren. Gregory may be reached at cashbook@mvp.net.

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