City moving forward with annexation plans

City Administrator Mark Stidham has been working in recent weeks to get the project on the move.

The project would, at this point at least, only bring in specified portions of Hwy. 60 and Hwy. 25 and their rights-of-way. No actual property would move in to the city. It would allow for adjacent property owners who are interested in becoming part of the city to do so.

According to Stidham, the Missouri Department of Transportation has a list of requirements that must be met for the city to annex the highway.

One of those requirements is the notification of all residents that own property connected to the highways or their rights-of-way.

"I have County Wide Abstract getting me addresses and names of all the owners," Stidham said in a written statement to the board. "Once this is completed, letters will be mailed to all property owners."

After that is completed, a public hearing will be held to allow opposition the opportunity to speak out.

Also among MoDOT's requirements are that the city notify the county and any cities within a five-mile radius of their intentions.

Thus far, the exact distances of the annexation along the highways are not entirely known.

Stidham did say that the hope was to go west on Hwy. 60 to Hwy. ZZ and east to just past the Hwy. 25 overpass.

Alderman Kirby Taylor, who pushed for the move, commended Stidham and City Attorney Yewell G. Lawrence for their efforts.

Anyone wanting to view the full list of requirements may do so by visiting http://www.modot.mo.gov/