Noel Council Talks Parks, Dogs, Tax Levy

The Noel Betterment Association is hoping to join efforts with the city of Noel to build a new community park.

Denae Murphy with the Noel Betterment Association told city council members Tuesday night the association is working with the Harry S. Truman Coordinating Council to secure a grant which will fund a new park.

She said association members will oversee the donation of the land, the costs of the project and matching funds. However, to secure the grant, the association needs the agreed support of the city, she told the council.

The council will review the information she presented.

Murphy, who also serves as the director of the Noel Housing Authority, asked the council to consider how to enforce a current ordinance that prohibits dogs running loose.

No dog pound exists and the marshal’s office is stretched already. Murphy asked the council to check with neighboring towns to see if the two could team up.

“We need some options,” she said.

Mayor Lewis Davis said he will check with Southwest City to see if an agreement could be arranged. “It is a major problem,” he said. In other business, the council also decided to place the tax levy issue before voters on the November ballot rather than the August ballot. Davis said more people vote in the November election, more issues are placed on the ballot

and the November placement is a great deal cheaper than the August placement.

The council also agreed to waive the vendor fee for those who are going to participate in the new First Friday that will kick off in June. The events — to be held in June, July and August — will feature live music, food trucks, vendors, entertainment for children and more.

In other action, the council agreed to change the meeting time of the regular monthly meetings to 6 p.m., rather than 7 p.m., starting next month. Council members agreed to try out the new time for a couple of months to see how it will work out.

In other business, the council approved a parttime employee for the streets department, heard a report from fire chief Brandon Barrett, who said the 23 calls received in April will double after this month; and received an update from wastewater superintendent Keith Harris.

Deputy Randy Wilson from the marshal’s office said the office recorded 173 calls for the month, in addition to 55 traffic stops. Wilson also said he has applied for a grant for two radar units through a program with the Missouri Department of Transportation.