The City of Houston will move forward with two stretches of the community’s Village Trail and study further a segment of Highway 17 to U.S. 63.
The discussion came Monday night during a meeting of the Houston City Council, which also reorganized following elections held earlier in the month.
City Administrator Larry Sutton said phase 2 of the Village Trail includes an area from Grand Avenue to Emmett Kelly Park and a north leg that runs from Brushy Creek Trail to near the Texas County Justice.
Another phase – from West Highway 17, along U.S. 63 and including sections of First Street and Grand Avenue – will be postponed as the city looks for additional funding. Since first proposed in 2005, several changes, including adding accessibility for those with disabilities, have driven up the costs. Additionally, some of the work will be costly because of issues with utilities, such as fiber optics.
Sutton said while the city sorts out the issues, it will launch the two other segments. Already in place are sections in Emmett Kelly Park and along Brushy Creek.
Representatives of the city will attend a meeting today (Thursday) to seek MoDOT monies – that if successful – would fund an area beginning at the Houston Memorial Airport and extending south. The maximum award is $100,000.
In other matters, members:
-Signaled their intent to publish in the Herald the names of property owners who have not paid their 2008 taxes. Diana Hill, an office worker, described the process.
-Saw Mayor Steve Hutcheson and council members Sharon Sillyman, Bruce Wilson and Bill Maxwell take their oaths of office.
-Heard Mayor Steve Hutcheson appoint the city administrator, city clerk, city attorney, municipal judge, fire chief, treasurer, police chief and emergency management director.
-Appointed residents to the Houston Industrial Development Authority. They are: Eric Wells, term expires in 2015; Tom Dunn, 2012; Brad Eidson, 1012; Carl Honeycutt, 2013; and Brad Rees, 2013.
-Held the second and third reading of an ordinance that will tackle unsightly problems in the city – junk, abandoned vehicles, machinery and other eyesores. Both residential and commercial properties are included in the new law.
-Heard that representatives of the city and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources met last week to discuss a plan to locate water infiltration into the city’s sewer lines. Mapping will be done and sections identified to check for leaks and take action where problems are found.
-Learned that the city received the final $14,500 in federal aid associated with an ice storm in February 2008 and remnants of Hurricane Ike in the fall.
-Will chip and seal a new road that serves the Texas County Justice Center. Christie Road will receive the improvement.