By ANN PIERCEALL
Herald-Whig Staff Writer
HANNIBAL, Mo. -- The Hannibal City Council gave approval Tuesday night to spend more than $500,000 for street maintenance projects.
The council approved nine projects for resurfacing to be done by Missouri Petroleum Product Co. for $232,741, and six projects for milling and asphalt overlay to be done by Chester Bross Construction for $287,499. The work will be scheduled this month and in August.
"That's more than twice what we did last year," Hannibal City Manager Jeff LaGarce said, noting the city spent $248,000 on street maintenance in 2007.
That plan was made possible after voters in April renewed the city's half-cent sales tax for street improvements. Voters also removed a sunset clause on the tax, allowing the city to issue $5.1 million in revenue bonds. Those 10-year bonds are scheduled to be issued this month.
Using the bond money to pay for larger improvement projects frees up about $600,000 for street resurfacing projects out of the $1.2 million the sales tax generates each year.
LaGarce said the city budgeted $627,000 for these types of projects this year. He said that because the bids came in under estimates, the city is considering a couple of options for the unused $115,000. They include improving Paris Gravel Road, which has seen a substantial increase in use with the opening of Veterans Road, or resurfacing some other streets early next year.
The council also gave approval for a "Sandbagger's Ball" scheduled for July 26 at the Y Men's Pavilion. Council member Jason Janes was the lone vote against the event because of its proposed sale of alcohol on public property. The event will run from about 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and feature eight bands from Hannibal, Chicago and Quincy, Ill.
Brian Yelton, one of the organizers, said the bands are donating their time and all proceeds will go to benefit the local chapter of the American Red Cross. The event is to "honor the many citizens of these great communities we live in who have so unselfishly given their time and resources ... in (a) time of need."
The council restricted the street closure for the event to Hill Street from Main Street to the levee, and will allow the event to run only until 11 p.m.
The council also:
* Approved closing South Main at 6 p.m. Friday at Church and Lyons streets to allow for spectators to gather for the Hannibal Jaycees fireworks display. The council approved the move because there's no access to the city's floodwall, a popular viewing place for the show.
* Approved a fireworks display by Calvary Baptist Church on the Hannibal-LaGrange College campus at about 9 p.m. Saturday.
-- apierceall@whig.com/(573) 221-5879
