For what is believed to be the first time in the history of Fayette, the city has an all-female Board of Aldermen. During the city council’s most recent meeting on Tuesday, July 11, Ronda Gerlt took the oath of office for the recently vacated East Ward seat, making all six members female.

The East Ward seat was previously held by Dr. Joe Parisi. His resignation was accepted at the conclusion of the city council’s previous meeting held on June 27. Dr. Parisi has been largely absent from meetings since being named President of Missouri Valley College in January.

Gerlt was nominated to the seat by Fayette Mayor Jeremy Dawson, which was given unanimous approval by the remaining five alderpersons.

Gerlt has been a strident critic of Central Methodist University’s plan to cut down a dozen trees along North Church Street as part of a project to widen the sidewalk and the road to improve safety and parking. No discussion of the city’s council’s proposal to ban parking on that portion of the street was held during the board’s most recent meeting, and the matter seems to be resolved for now.

Tuesday’s agenda was light. Apart from appointing a new alderperson, the council handled mostly routine business but passed an updated sign ordinance. During the previous meeting, city attorney Nathan Nickolaus presented the detailed ordinance to council members. The new ordinance brings Fayette’s sign code up to date with recent Supreme Court rulings.

Northwest Ward Alderwoman Peggy O’Connell brought up the possibility of the city asking voters to approve a tax to fund road improvements in the city. Fayette’s roads are crumbling, and no funds for street paving were included in the current fiscal year budget, which was passed on June 27.

“I have been talked to a lot about our roads,” O’Connell said. “Are we going to put a road tax on the ballot this year?”

Mayor Dawson said the city could place the tax on the ballot during the next municipal election in April.

The council also gave unanimous approval for the mayor to execute an agreement with the Missouri Transportation Commission and for Fayette resident John Baylor to be appointed to the Fayette Historic Preservation Commission. Council members also agreed to waive an excess sewer charge for a resident on Park Road who had a water leak into the yard that did not go down the sewer.

The Fayette 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 posted in advance, and the public is invited.