Council approves Adrian's Island agreement with Housing Authority

Adrian's Island is seen from the Capitol dome in Jefferson City. The proposed walkway will be situated between the circular garage and the Veterans' Fountain, shown in the lower left corner.
Adrian's Island is seen from the Capitol dome in Jefferson City. The proposed walkway will be situated between the circular garage and the Veterans' Fountain, shown in the lower left corner.

Jefferson City will soon own Adrian's Island and begin developing riverfront access after the Jefferson City Council approved a redevelopment contract Monday with the Jefferson City Housing Authority.

The city plans to purchase Adrian's Island from the Housing Authority for $10 and the Housing Authority will convey that land to the city, according to the contract. The island contains 30 acres of forest and wetlands that lie between the Missouri River and Union Pacific Railroad tracks that stretch about 1 mile from the Missouri State Capitol to the former Missouri State Penitentiary.

In 1974, the Adrian family gave the island to the Housing Authority as a gift.

The city and Jefferson City Chamber of Commerce proposed an 826-foot bridge leading down to a riverfront park on Adrian's Island. The bridge would begin between the Senate garage and Veterans Memorial.

Under the contract, the city shall redevelop the property by creating a passive public park. One of the contract requirements states the city must use the name "Deborah Cooper Park" to reflect the Deborah Cooper Foundation's assistance in implementing the park project.

The City Council also heard an agreement with the Jefferson City Parks and Recreation Foundation, Jefferson City Parks and Recreation Commission and Bicentennial Bridge LLC.

Under this agreement, the Parks and Recreation Commission must develop the park at the same time the bridge is being constructed so a portion of the park is publicly accessible when the bridge opens to pedestrian traffic.

The agreement also grants a license to the Bicentennial Bridge LLC - owned by the Chamber of Commerce - to construct the bridge on city land. Once the bridge is complete, the company will convey it to the city.

The city has until August 2019 to select a contractor to construct the bridge, with construction lasting about a year.

The Parks foundation will hold onto money donated for the bridge project, and the Bicentennial Bridge must request disbursements of the funds from the foundation to pay for the design and construction of the bridge.

The agreement "really shows the value of all four partners and getting this project moving forward," Mayor Carrie Tergin said.

Last month, an ad hoc committee created by the chamber announced it raised $3.7 million of the estimated $4 million needed to construct the bridge. The $3.7 million is from private donors - with approximately $3.2 million of that coming from B.J. DeLong - committee members said previously.

The agreement notes nearly $700,000 in public funds previously set aside for riverfront access and park and trail development will go toward funding the maintenance of the bridge and development of the park.

The bridge would contain overlooks for visitors and four railcar replicas featuring walking museums. It would also be ADA-accessible and allow emergency vehicles to drive on it.

In other business Monday, the City Council decided to wait before appointing an interim municipal judge after Tergin's initial appointment turned down the position.

Tergin told the News Tribune last week that she would appoint Angela Silvey as interim municipal judge. However, Silvey declined the position in a letter to the council, Tergin said Monday.

Silvey filed for the municipal judge position this month and is currently set to run against City Prosecutor Brian Stumpe and Tim Anderson for the municipal judge position in April.

Tergin added council members wanted to wait until after the election filing period ends Jan. 15 before appointing an interim municipal judge, who would serve until April 2.

The city began accepting applications for the interim municipal judge position after current Municipal Judge Cotton Walker won the associate circuit judge position in November and will take over the role in January.

Curtis Hanrahan will serve as the temporary judge until the council approves an interim municipal judge. Hanrahan serves as the fill-in judge when Walker cannot appear in court.

The council also heard an agreement with the Jefferson City Public Schools.

The city will use funds from itself and Cole County to reimburse the school district for up to $1.5 million to build a street adjacent to Capital City High School to connect Creek Trail and Mission drives.

If the project costs less than $1.5 million, the district would use any remaining funds to improve Lewis and Clark Drive or Union Street, or construct enhanced crosswalks on Jackson Street at Thorpe Gordon Elementary School or Linden Drive at South Elementary School.

In exchange for the reimbursement, the city would vacate ownership of Union Street, between Lafayette and Jackson streets, and Lewis and Clark Drive at Lewis and Clark Middle School. The city would then transfer ownership to the school district.

The JCPS Board of Education approved the agreement earlier this month.