The Noel City Council unanimously approved renaming a city street in honor of a former alderman and community leader.
The request was made by Carrie ???, on behalf of her mother, Nancy Zeorlin. Zeorlin, who served on the city council as well as spearheaded a citywide clean-up for many years and recently passed away shortly after being diagnosed with cancer.
The street, St. Claire Drive, is located next to Arthur Murray Motel, which Zeorlin formerly owned. The street will now be named Nancy Zeorlin Drive.
The council agreed to look into a complaint brought to the council's attention about a residence on Macy Drive. A neighbor to the residence said she had talked to the council previously about noise problems. She said the "noise has gone down by probably 80 percent, but the smell went up by 80 percent."
She said the resident has several goats and that the smell from feces is terrible. She also said that when it comes a "gully washer" the feces and mud comes onto her yard. She asked the council if there was something they could do, even asking the man to "shovel off his lot."
Mayor John Lafley said it could be a health issue and he would call the McDonald County Health Department to see if there is anything they could do.
A house on Happy Hollow Road in the same neighborhood was also discussed. It was noted the house burned probably 15 years ago and has not been cleaned up. Lafley said he would look at city ordinances for what could be done.
The council approved two agreements with Empire District Electric Co. The agreements were presented by Rick Hendricks, who said both are renewal of existing contracts -- one is a 10-year contract and one is a 20-year and this is the year that both are due to be renewed.
The 20-year agreement is the franchise agreement, which give the utility basically a "blanket easement" on city property so it doesn't have to get an easement each time it wants to set a pole on city right-of-way or dig a trench for underground service on city property.
The 10-year contract, a municipal electrical service agreement, covers street lighting.
The council approved revenue of $103,175.70 and expenses of $73,924.70.
General News on 08/21/2014