The Fayette city council set a date for a public hearing regarding a new historic district downtown and bid farewell to one of its longest-serving employees during its regular meeting on Tuesday, May 28.

A new historic district governing the upkeep and improvements to facades of buildings downtown is being proposed by the Historical Preservation Committee and has been approved by the Planning & Zoning Committee. A public hearing will occur before the council’s regular business meeting on June 25.

“We’ve got the National Register District. We’ve got Main Street because of the National Register. Now, the CID. It’s a perfect opportunity, and hopefully, the CID will be promoting some more incentives,” explained Pam Huttsell, Chair of the Fayette Historic Preservation Committee.

If passed by the council, the new Missouri Local Historic District will allow building owners within its boundaries the chance for grants and other financial assistance from agencies such as the Historic Downtown Fayette Commercial Community Improvement District (CID) and Downtown Fayette, formerly Fayette Main Street. Any plans must first be granted a Certificate of Appropriateness based on historic preservation guidelines, regardless of whether or not assistance is sought. Huttsell explained that the requirements are meant to be in an advisory capacity.

“We are recommending, along with Planning & Zoning, that it be advisory. The certificate would be required, but the compliance would not unless that property owner is applying for an incentive from Main Street and the CID,” Huttsell said.  

If passed, the ordinance creating the new district will not actually have the teeth to penalize a building owner for not following the guidelines or obtaining a certificate. However, the Historic Preservation Committee hopes that guidelines are followed in an effort to keep the historic downtown aesthetic.

“Unless you’re going after an incentive, you don’t have to comply. It would be our hope you would listen to us. The design guidelines are really not cumbersome at all,” Huttsell said.

The Fayette Courthouse Square Historic District was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 5, 1998. Buildings that contributed to the National Register designation include the library, City Hall, and most buildings around the square, including the Howard County Courthouse, among many others throughout town.

Anyone wishing to comment on the proposed new district may do so at the public hearing on June 25, which will take place at 6 p.m. at the start of the regular Board of Aldermen meeting.

In other business, the council approved the appointment of East Ward Alderwoman Stephanie Ford as a liaison to the Fayette Housing Authority Board and newly-elected Southwest Ward Alderwoman Leeanna Shiflett to the city’s tree board.

Alderwoman Shiflett also commented that any new contract the city signs with RTS Waste Management includes provisions about how the company handles trash cans. 

“They’re actually throwing them, so they’re breaking them,” she said. 

Trash cans are often observed being tossed back onto sidewalks and even placed in the center of driveways and in roadways such as Church Street, which is a high-volume state highway. City Attorney Nathan Nickolaus is currently negotiating a new three-year contract with RTS. The current agreement expires in June.

Near the end of the meeting, Mayor Greg Stidham, council members, and city employees congratulated Danny Dougherty on his impending retirement. He had worked for the city for 29 years in just about every capacity, finally ending his career as Director of Public Works on Thursday, May 30. 

“I just want to say thanks. You’ve been involved with pretty much every single department here over the years,” said Mayor Stidham.

In his final update to the council, Dougherty reported that the pool opened on time and, along with the splash pad, is up and running for now. “Everything went smooth over the weekend,” he said. “We had a really good turnout Saturday, the first day.”

Dougherty also said the new playground at Ricketts Lake is nearly complete, and city crews are working on electrical lines near Burford Hall on the Central Methodist University campus. The college is renovating the dormitory and will reimburse the city for such expenses.

The Board of Aldermen meets regularly at 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month in City Hall. Meetings are open, agendas are published in advance, and the public is invited.