Archives for January 2020

It was announced yesterday that the elevator at Kirksville City Hall is out of service. The City was informed by the repair company that the elevator is not able to be repaired, and will require the installation of a new elevator system. This will leave the Kirksville City Hall building without its elevator system for an undetermined amount of time.

City staff is taking immediate action to start the process of elevator replacement, and will continue to take every possible action to ensure the process goes as quickly as possible.

In the meantime, City staff is prepared to provide curbside service to citizens requiring ADA accessibility. Once parked outside, citizens who need assistance can call 660.627.1225 and the City Administration office will send the appropriate department staff to assist.

Additionally, the City of Kirksville will be moving all public meetings, including City Council meetings, Study Session, and Citizen Advisory Commission meetings to the Economic Development Alliance Building, 315 S. Franklin St. to ensure accessibility for all citizens. Once the temporary ADA entrance is constructed, these meetings will be moved back to City Hall and held in the Council Chambers on the first floor.

Following an active shooter drill last year at Kirksville R-III, a goal was set to make sure that every classroom in the school district has emergency medical supplies. That goal was reached yesterday when 400 buckets filed with medical supplies were delivered. The project was led by Shawn Corbett, head of the district’s transportation, facilities and safety, and was made possible with help from the Adair County Ambulance District, the Adair County Rural Fire Department, the Kirksville Retired Teachers Group, local organizations and businesses, and community members.

For the first time in 50 years, Missouri’s very own Kansas City Chiefs are in the Super Bowl, and throughout the weekend, there will be numerous Super Bowl celebrations happening across the state. The Northeast Coalition for Roadway Safety urges football fans who plan to drink, to get their game plan established ahead of time for a sober ride home. In 2018, 203 people were killed and 541 seriously injured in traffic crashes that involved at least one substance-impaired driver. In northeast Missouri alone there were 10 killed and 164 injured in crashes that involved drinking or drugs.

The City of Kirksville is inviting the community to the rescheduled Kirksville Aquatic Center Groundbreaking Ceremony on Tuesday, February 4, 2020 at 11:00 am. A short ceremony will be held at the entrance to the current Aquatic Center, located in Rotary Park at 801 E. Mill St., and will officially commemorate the start of construction on the new facility. The new Kirksville Aquatic Center is scheduled to open on Memorial Day 2021. For more information, please contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 660.627.1485.

Motorists have been seeing activity on U.S. Route24 as crews prepare to begin work on a bridge rehabilitation project on the Middle Fork Salt River located one mile west of Missouri Route 15 near Paris. Magruder Paving, LLC is closing the bridge today. U.S. 24 will be CLOSED in both directions at the bridge over Middle Fork Salt River near Paris. The closure is expected to last through late April. There will be a 3.5 mile signed detour in place as traffic will be routed onto Missouri Route 154 and Missouri Route 15. A Missouri Department of Transportation Area Engineer say that while the underside of the bridge is in good condition, the deck is in need of replacement. The bridge, which was built in 1967 and carries 1,605 vehicles daily, will receive a new deck and guardrail as part of the project. This bridge is included in Gov. Parson’s “Focus on Bridges” program passed by the Missouri General Assembly during its 2019 session. The program appropriated $50 million in state general revenue to fund 45 high priority bridge projects throughout the state.

Governor Mike Parson announced nine appointments to various boards and commissions yesterday – including the appointment of Philip Christofferson to the Truman State University Board of Governors. Mr. Christofferson has been an owner and partner of a law firm for over 15 years. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Truman State University.

Residents are invited to attend the THINKapalooza Open House today. The City is hosting this event to reveal the draft Think Kirksville 2040 Comprehensive Plan, which has been shaped by public input, the Think Kirksville 2040 Steering Committee, elected officials, and City Staff over the course of five months. This will be the last opportunity for public input before the draft is finalized and presented to the Planning & Zoning Commission and City Council in March for approval and adoption. You are invited to stop by and help shape Kirksville’s future! The Open House is come-and-go as you please from 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm.at the Economic Development Alliance Building at 315 S. Franklin Street. Refreshments will be provided. Learn more about the Think Kirksville 2040 Comprehensive Plan, at www.kirksvillecity.com/think2040.

Close to 200 medical marijuana licenses were approved last week – including four businesses in Kirksville. But those who were not approved are questioning the process on how the state awarded those licenses. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, awarded 24 licenses in each of Missouri’s eight congressional districts, saying recipients were the top-scoring applicants that met the program’s eligibility requirements. The state received nearly 1,200 applications for dispensary licenses. But some applicants are claiming there were inconsistencies and irregularities in the scoring process used to award licenses. As a result, the state will be facing more administrative appeals and lawsuits.

High Prairie Wind Farm has rescheduled the road closures in Schuyler County that were recently postponed. They will temporarily close routes in Schuyler County for road work in preparation of the wind turbine deliveries. The work will affect portions of Schuyler County Routes O, D and A starting today, and is expected to last through Feburary 4th. Get more details at: modot.org/northeast.

The Department of Health and Senior Services awarded licenses to192 medical marijuana dispensary sites last week, and 4 companies in Kirksville made the list. The state says the dispensaries chosen are the top-scoring one’s meeting all eligibility requirements. Those approved locally are: Heya Kirksville Retail (120 South Main), JG Missouri (2400 North Baltimore) and Missouri Health & Wellness (215 East Charles). In addition, Agri-Genesis (2120 North Baltimore), which will also have a cultivation and manufacturing site, in Macon. Kirksville companies denied a licence include: MO Med , GTI Missouri, Standard Wellness Missouri, 9 Points, Therapy Harvest Corporation, 511 Enterprises, Holistic Healing Medical Mart, and Misfits Farm Dispensary. State officials say over 1,100 applications were submitted to the state. See the full list and scores online at health.mo.gov.