St. Joseph council approves zoning permit, appointments, multiple budget items and emergency fire truck purchase

The St. Joseph City Council on Nov. 27 approved a series of ordinances, appointments and budget measures, including a conditional use permit for a day nursery, multiple board appointments, a Cook Road bridge aesthetics agreement and an emergency appropriation for a new fire pumper aerial truck.

Conditional use permit: After the clerk read an ordinance authorizing a conditional use permit for a day nursery at 1222 North Eighteenth Street (requested by Jared Fisk on behalf of Central Assembly of God), the council opened the public hearing, called for comments three times and received none. The council then voted to approve the permit, recorded as nine ayes.

Appointments and consent items: The council approved a consent agenda that included appointments: Mike Hazel to the personnel board (term to 01/15/2029), Brenda Hoover to the Landmark Commission (term to 12/11/2026), Joseph Marmot to the Museum Oversight Board (term to 01/01/2027) and Christie Green to the Planning Commission (term to 12/11/2028). Several ordinances adjusting park and facility fees and other budget amendments were also approved as part of the consent agenda.

Cook Road bridge aesthetics: Council moved to substitute a new ordinance and attachments for Bill 6-12-22 to authorize a Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission municipal cost-apportionment agreement for aesthetic improvements to the Cook Road bridge and to amend the General Fund Communications and Community Engagement Department budget. The substituted ordinance set the amount at $56,000 and passed 9–0.

Emergency fire equipment purchase: The council read and unanimously approved an emergency ordinance to transfer $1,091,361 from the ARPA fund to the General Fund Fire Department and authorized the purchase of a pumper aerial truck from Hyman Fire Equipment in the amount of $1,091,361.

Other actions: Council approved the withdrawal of a petition to establish the Shops at North Village Community Improvement District (Bill 6-19-22) and recorded several first readings, including master agreements for on-call plumbing and architectural services and ARPA transfers to Civic Arena programs. The council also recorded an ordinance authorizing industrial development revenue bonds for Hilliard Industries Inc. (authority to issue taxable IDRBs in principal amounts up to $27,600,000 and up to $1,400,000 for refinancing) and several procurement and maintenance expenditures listed in the consent agenda.

What happens next: Appointments take effect per the terms stated in council documents; items read for first reading will return for future council action as required.