Sikeston City Council actions from the meeting held March 4, 2024 were:

• Council approved amending city code regarding fences and businesses in Heavy Industrial District. The change only applies to scrap yards, junk yards and automobile graveyards.
• Council approved amending city code regarding fencing in Heavy Industrial District. The approval requires a tight board or block fence to reduce visibility of property and contents. Fencing should be no less than eight feet tall and should be maintained to avoid a nuisance to the adjacent area.
• Council heard the first reading of a bill calling for the readoption of the City’s Fair Housing policy. Annual readoption of the policy is required to maintain compliance with state CDBG funding requirements. The second reading of the bill and the vote is scheduled for the March 25 meeting.
• Council heard the first reading of a bill that, if approved at the March 25 meeting, would change the city’s ordinance that involves keeping livestock, domestic animals, and fowl. Changes to the ordinance include allowing a resident to keep six chickens and change the boundaries to 25 feet. Information regarding care or disposal of waste brought on by the chickens was also added, as well as the wordage to not allow roosters.
• Council awarded mowing contracts for the 2024-25 contract period. Contracts were (amounts shown are per mowing prices):
  • Bootheel Exteriors Land Management – Dudley Park ($190), R.S. Matthews Park ($220), Roberta Rowe Park ($210), Rotary Park ($200), US Highway 61 Right-of-Way ($90)
  • Lawn Plus & More, LLC – Bollweevil Blvd ($40), Broadway ($90), Malone Right-of-Way east ($325), Malone Park ($65), Plantation Blvd. ($120), Rose Parkway Right-of-Way ($180), Tanglewood Blvd, ($40), P.A.W.S. ($90)
  • Nance Handyman Services – Armory Park ($40), Cemetery ($500), Central Park ($100), Clayton Park ($100), Mary Lou Montgomery Park ($100)
  • Walter’s Lawn Care – Allen Boulevard median ($95), Davis Blvd, ($95), Industrial Park ($370), Lincoln Memorial ($225), Malone Row West and Legion Park ($250), North End Park ($30), Veterans Park ($150)
  • Emergency mowing to Walter’s Lawn Care with a response time of two business days at a rate of $30 per hour.
• Council awarded the spring cleanup of baseball/softball fields 1-8 at the Sikeston Complex to Turf Renovations, LLC of Portageville for $15,500. The cleanup includes ensuring base distances are correct and properly install bases, spring clean entire infield and warning tracks, pitching mound renovations, home plate renovations and define all lines throughout infield and warning tracks.
• Council awarded design engineering services for the Compress Road Bridge Project to Waters Engineering, using the LPA On-Call Consultant List from MoDOT. The approval includes the authorization for staff to negotiate and execute an engineering services contract for design services only. The bridge is being funded through a 90% federal bridge grant and a 10% local match, being provided by BMU.