Brad Wooldridge (standing center), attorney for Larry and Sherri Kempf, addresses the New Franklin city council at their regular meeting Monday. Wooldridge presented a new proposal by the Kempfs for building storage sheds south of the Santa Fe Trail Monument. The new proposal includes smaller sheds, placement of the sheds further away from the monument and a privacy fence to be built in between the storage sheds and the monument. Council members voted to hold a public hearing about the proposalBy Kim Thompson
Staff Writer

Through their attorney Brad Wooldridge, Larry and Sherri Kempf, owners of New Franklin Storage, addressed the New Franklin City Council on Monday expressing their desire to build storage sheds at a location next to the Santa Fe Trail Monument along Highway 5 in New Franklin.

In November 2013, the Kempfs’ request was essentially denied when the council took no action on a zoning change request which would have allowed storage sheds to be built near the Santa Fe Trail Monument. By taking no action, the request was denied.

At the regular meeting Monday, Wooldridge related revisions to the Kempfs’ original proposal. The revisions include

• A 20-foot shorter shed.
• Building the shed 20 feet further west of the monument.
• Construction of a 6-foot privacy fence in between the sheds and the monument.

Wooldridge said that preserving the integrity of the Santa Fe Trail Monument can co-exist with local investment in infrastructure. “Preserving history and moving into the future do not need to conflict, but can work in concert with each other.”

Mayor Frank Frevert expressed his support for the business proposal. “We want business to come to town,” Frevert said.

Council member John James said, “I’m a businessman. I understand the advantages of placing a business as near to the highway as possible, so lots of people see it.” However, James further commented, “Putting their shed further away from the highway will not hamper his [Kempf’s] business since now his storage sheds are full.”

Council member Walter Banks suggested the council hold a public hearing to hear all interested parties. Three council members voted to  hold the hearing while three voted against. The mayor broke the tie by voting for the public hearing. Council members Kevin Beaman, Walter Banks and John James voted in favor of the public hearing; Kerry Thompson, Mike McGee and Jerry Thornton voted against.

Following Wooldridge’s presentation, Sue Thompson, chairperson of the Santa Fe Trail Monument Committee, addressed the council. She related the possibility of loans and grants available to the city if the city further pursues tourism opportunities. She recently attended an Old Trails organization that works to preserve historical passageways such as the Santa Fe Trail. For a $50 membership fee, the city could be included on the Old Trails website, get technical assistance for its own website, and be informed of loans and grants available for downtown revitalization and other economic development projects. “We could list the Santa Fe Trail Days and the Wine Walks that we have here in New Franklin on their [Old Trails] website,” Thompson said. Local businesses and other events could be included on the Old Trails website.

In other business, council members:

• Assured Cherry Street residents that city crews will clean out a ditch along the street by the end of the month.
• Denied a water bill waiver request from Jennifer Dungan, but did grant a sewer waiver for her.
• Noted improvements that city services have made to city facilities, right-of-ways, and the park. The improvements were made possible by the efforts of the city services crew members and the use of labor from two Boonville Correctional Center inmates.
• Approved $256 to replace two tires on a police car.