HOLTS SUMMIT - The city of Holts Summit is preparing to offer a demolition grant to its residents. City Administrator Rick Hess said the grant will pay for the demolition of two city-owned houses, as well as help private residents pay for the demolition of dangerous property.
"All they have to do is make a down payment of $1,000," Hess said. "This is a great grant to have because it gets dangerous houses out of circulation for little cost. People will be able to get rid of old buildings that they may not be able to afford to demolish."
The Board of Alderman approved Hess to secure the grant at Thursday night's meeting. The grant is offered through the Mid-Missouri Regional Planning Commission and requires a structure be unfit for human habitation and be unoccupied for one calender year to qualify.
The two city-owned houses that would be demolished using this grant are currently vacant, and Hess said they fit the criteria.
"The houses have been found to contain asbestos," he said. "So this grant will help pay for the inspections, tests, abatement and demolition needed to get rid of them."
The resolution was approved unanimously.
Holts Summit police getting 3 new vehicles
The Holts Summit Board of Aldermen approved the purchase of three new police cars Thursday night. The new 2017 Dodge Chargers will be purchased using a lease purchase paid out over four years and was budgeted under the police department's budget, Hess said.
"This will help us to stretch out the budget a lot further," Hess said. "Instead of buying them one by one, the chief and I budgeted for all the vehicles and the equipment."
Due to the special equipment and requirements needed for a police pursuit vehicle, the price per car comes out to around $30,000. Hess said the cars will be replacing two aging police vehicles and increasing the Holts Summit Police Department's fleet by one.
"We have at least one or two cars that need to be replaced," he added. "They have lots of miles, lots of wear and tear."
The purchase of the new vehicles was approved unanimously.
Interim funding approved for sewer project
The Board of Aldermen approved the funding of a new, sewer-related bond Thursday night. Hess said the bond is designed to provide temporary funding for the city's major sewer project.
"This is interim funding," Hess said. "While we are waiting to get all the pieces and parts in place for our major sewer project, this loan will help to keep things rolling. As soon as we start construction, we will start to draw USDA bond money, and this loan will go away."
Holts Summit is currently planning a major sewer project, which will unite the city's western sewer system to its eastern counterpart on the other side of U.S. 54.
Aldermen Charles Chamberlin said he was comfortable moving forward so quickly on the bond after consulting with Hess on the matter beforehand.
The bill was passed unanimously by the board.