Council accepts bid for street overlay, makes appointments

The Rolla City Council Monday, May 15, accepted a bid of $189,994 from Donald Maggi Inc. for city Public Works Project No. 401 for street overlay and handicapped curb ramp improvements on Salem Avenue. This was the low bid, and it is contingent on the approval, too, of the Missouri Department of Transportation, which is administering the federal funds that will be passed through to the city for this project.

The council also heard first reading of an ordinance authorizing a contract with Donald Maggi Inc. Final reading and passage will be at the first meeting next month.
In other business, the council approved the appointment by Mayor Lou Magdits of Diana L. Ahmad to the Library Board, succeeding Tom Sager whose term expires June 1. She will serve through May 2020.

The council also approved appointments of Councilmen John Meusch, Don Morris and Matthew Crowell to the Finance/Audit Committee.

The appointments of Morris, J.D. Williams and Walt Bowe to the Environmental Services Committee were also approved.

Rezoning requests have no public opposition at hearings

There were no comments for or against two rezoning proposals in public hearings held by the Rolla City Council Monday night, May 15. Both rezoning requests were recommended by the Planning and Zoning Commission last week.

The council heard presentations from Community Development Director John Petersen on both rezoning requests, then held public hearings and heard first reading of the ordinances. Final readings and passage will occur at the first meeting in June, three weeks hence.

Taken up first was the requested rezoning of 2100 Vichy Road from R-1 (single family district) zoning to C-0 (office district) zoning.

“This zoning allows an office environment only,” Petersen said. No sale or rental of goods will be allowed. Such a zoning allows for offices for, say, accountants, architects or attorneys.

Or, in this case, engineers. Joe Heberlie, of Missouri Engineering, told the council prior to the public hearing that his mother-in-law, Carol Ann Parks owns the house, wants to sell it, and his company needs it.

Councilmen questioned Petersen about parking. He said there was room enough on the lot to allow for the required parking spaces, about half a dozen.

The other rezoning request was for one lot in a gated community at the intersection of White Columns Drive and Crinoidal Court.

That rezoning request, if approved, will bring Lot 9 of the Kayser North Hills Resubdivision No. 2 into compliance with Lots 1-8 and 10, which were rezoned from R-1 to R-3 last year to allow for the construction of the gated community that is being called The Lodges of Rolla.

The planning commission recommended the council approve the rezoning ordinance;

Later on the Monday night agenda, the council heard first reading of another ordinance on the Kayser North Hills Resubdivision. No public hearing was required on this ordinance.

The owners, Rolla Investors LLC, want to make the 10 lots into one lot, so they have submitted a new plat for a subdivision to be called Rolla Investors No. 1. This move will include the vacating of adjacent Crinoidal Court right-of-way and the utility easements for the 10 lots.

That ordinance was recommended unanimously by the planning commission.

Dickey Bub gets final clearance for outdoor displays

The Dickey Bub saga appears to  be over.
Monday night, May 15, the Rolla City Council heard final reading of an ordinance amending a previous rezoning ordinance that started the saga, or at least a mini-saga.
The vote was 10-0 to allow Dickey Bub Farm and Home, newest tenant of the Forum Plaza shopping center to put merchandise outside the store.

When the store moved in last month, products were put outside on the parking lot perimeter along the 10th Street side and the west side next to an empty former convenience store.

That was not allowed in the restrictions the council added a year ago to a rezoning ordinance sought by the owners of Forum Plaza, Super Market Developers. Then, the property was rezoned to C-3, highway commercial district.

“There were visual concerns,” City Administrator John Butz said, reminding the council that the city is in partnership with the Super Market Developers in the Community Improvement District taxing board, so the city  is “concerned about the economic viability” of the shopping center.

That's why the city had restricted outdoor storage to the south side of the building. Also, the city required the outdoor display area be fenced.

Super Market Developers, needing a tenant, went along with restrictions.

According to testimony given a couple of meetings ago by Dickey Bub owners, though, those restrictions weren't adequately communicated to them by Super Market Developers.

“Dickey Bub has been very accommodating,” Butz told the council Monday night. His written agenda commentary explained further: “Initially, during the store’s start-up and opening, the materials stored outside were extensive. Once aware of the restriction, Dickey Bub reorganized the outdoor merchandise display and shifted much of (it) to the southern and western boundaries of the parking lot and back indoors.”

Dickey Bub owners told the council in previous meetings that they wanted  permission to add the storage along the southern side of the parking lot next to the 10^th Street. They noted that what will be outside the fence will be seasonal merchandise, much of it for the spring and summer growing season.

They got that permission with passage of the ordinance Monday night.

In addition, the displays in front of the store are allowed

The new ordinance that ends the saga states: “The storage, display or sale of merchandise outdoors shall be limited to the area south of the building and north of Tenth Street, and immediately adjacent to the west side of the building. In addition, storage of outdoor merchandise shall also be permitted in an area 60 feet by 15 feet immediately north of Tenth Street … but at no time shall the height of merchandise, seasonal or otherwise, exceed six feet in height.”

Parking spaces must number 160.

Volunteers, journalists, musicians, many others honored at board meeting

A-Plus students who each donated more than 100 hours to the program during their high school careers, were given board recognition certificates. 

PHOTO BY JENNI RABENAU

Rolla High School journalists and musicians were honored at the Thursday, May 11, Rolla Board of Education.
So, too, were studetns of sales and merchandising, as well as students who compete academically with other teams from other schools.
And students from throughout the high school who volunteer to help other students were also honored for their hours and hours of service.
The school board hands out board recognition certificiates throughout the academic year, but especially in the final month or two, to affirm for the students and the community the pride the board has in students who excel in their chosen fields or in the classroom or in voluntarism and service.
And sometimes others from outside the district show up to honor students.
For instance, Alyssa Moses from Walsworth Publishing Company at the May 11 meeting presented the RHS Growler Yearbook staff with the company's Gallery of Excellence award.


“Your yearbook is an elite book,” she said. She also presented a special plaque to Mary Gillis, the journalism and publications teacher.
Gillis followed up with an announcement of all the state awards won by the RHS ECHO MAgazine staff. The magazine was named an All-Missouri publication for the second straight year, she noted. Senior Editor-in-Chief Celia Parsons won three awards, an All-Missouri award for feature writing, plus anExcellent and an Honorable Mention for two other feature stores.
Theresa Lauer, another senior, received an Excellent award in feature writing. Sophomores Diya Allada and Maia Bond won Honorable Mention in feature writing.
Junior Caroline Adams received a Superior award in feature writing and an Honorable Mention in page design and an Excellent Award in feature design.
Junior Sophia Gesualdi earned a Superior award in feature writing, a Superior in newsmagazine design and an honorable mention in page design.
Senior Ashanti Owuso-Brafi, earned an Honorable Mention in page design.
Junior Adrienne Pyeatt earned a Superior in newsmagazine design.
Sophomores Bailey Allison and Lorren Black each earned  Excellent awards in feature writing..
Sales and marketing students who compete in DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) contests also were honored. Maddy Jones and Ryann Rigsby were International Qualifiers and Top 10 finalsits. The club also raised more than $14,500 for MDA, fourth place nationally.

Choir members  who competed in the State Music Contest were recognized. The vocal trio of Aaron Haberman, Sam Wilsdorf and Tristan Lietz received a I rating, the highest rating at the contest. Hannah Holton-Langley received a I rating on her vocal solo. Christina Woelk received a II rating on her solo.
And band students who  received a I rating at the District Band Contest were recognized. They are: Kristina Happel, flute and flute trio; Sudatta Hor, tuba; Sam Kimball, bass clarinet; Rachel Phelps, flute trio; Sarah Woods, French horn; Katherine Yu, flute and flute trio.

The school  board also  recognized the highly competitive RHS Academic Team for sectional match wins, top 8, advancing to state playoffs, finishing fifth at state. Co-captain Tim Van Hoose made the All-State team as the third highest scoring competitor of the preliminary rounds. Others on the team: Eireena Bay, Isaac Brown, Kayla Copeland, Julia Giesey, Kassi Hayes, Samuel Kimball, Jesse Liu (captain), Ifeanyi Orizu, Zane Peterman, Samuel Wilsdorf and Renee Wang.
And the board recognized A-Plus students who have volunteered 100 or more hours during their high school career: Jordan Asberry, Amber Back, Amber Breen, Douglas Brigham, Isaac Brown, Alexis Brown, Kaley Burgess, Tyler Dillon, Victoria Freppon, Valerie Freppon, Klayton Garner, Luke Gibfried, Kayla Halinar, Mohammed Jawad, Kameron Jordan, Landon Kamper, Jessica Mallery, Mackenzie Masters, Brittany Miller, Jeffrey Moss, Celia Parsons, Morgan Phenix, Lara Powell, Jia Qiu, Olivia Rinck, Emily Robertson, Ashley Wilson, Christina Wilson, Darby Young.

Alyssa Moses, right, of Walsworth Publishing Co., presented the Gallery of Excellence award to Growler Yearbook staff members and a plaque to journalism/publications mentor Mary Gillis, left.
PHOTO BY JENNI RABENAU

ECHO Magazine students received board recognition awards from school board President-Elect Jane Haskell, left, for state awards won this school year.
PHOTO BY JENNI RABENAU

DECA students Maddy Jones and Ryann Rigsby, shown with teacher Billie Jo Stringer and school board President-Elect Jane Haskell, received board recognition awards for their achievements. 

PHOTO BY JENNI RABENAU

Choir director Jason Bartelsmeyer, left,  and choir members were honored by the school board recently. Board president-elect Jane Haskell presented recognition certificates to these students who attended. Choir members announced were Aaron Haberman, Sam Wilsdorf, Tristan Lietz, Hannah Holton-Langley and Chjristina Woelk

 PHOTO BY JENNI RABENAU

Band members were honored with certificates presented by board President-Elect Jane Haskell. Named were Kristina Happel, Sudatta Hor, Sam Kimball, Rachel Phelps, Sarah Woods and Katherine Yu. Choir director Jason Bartelsmeyer subbed for the band directors who were preparing for a concert at the meeting time.

 PHOTO BY JENNI RABENAU

RHS Academic Team, shown with coach Lisa McCarthy and board President-Elect Jane Haskell, received recognition certificates.

 PHOTO BY JENNI RABENAU