A short first meeting by the Fayette city council opened the new year last week. Board members approved more than $484,000 worth of invoices for payment, granted a business license, and approved a sewer waiver for a resident on South Main Street.

As was previously reported by the Advertiser, eight candidates have filed for four seats on the council. But surprisingly, only two were in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting. They were Southwest Ward incumbent Marsha Broadus, and local businessman and former alderman and mayor J.B. Waggoner, who is challenging Broadus in a three-way race.

None of the other six candidates were present. One of those absent Northwest Ward incumbent Peggy O’Connell, who was absent due to a legitimate family matter. Her challenger, Pat Roll, along with candidates for the remaining one year of a vacant Northwest Ward seat, former alderman Grafton Cook and Regina Powell, and lone East Ward candidate David Frees, were all in absentia.

O’Connell’s absence meant the tabling of a discussion to potentially raise pay for council members and the mayor. She was tasked with gathering information from comparable councils.

In early business, Fayette co-fire chief Gary Kunze reported that the fire department’s aging pumper truck failed its latest round of pump testing, and having it rebuilt will cost more than it’s worth.

He said the city’s ladder truck can serve as the backup pumper and advised the city to surplus the 1977 truck.

“I don’t know if we need that truck. It just sits. We don’t drive it,” Kunze said. “It’s just costing you guys insurance money. I don’t think we need it sitting around anymore.”

Kunze said the department has an agreement with the Howard County Fire District that it may use one of its trucks when in need.

Electric superintendent Sonny Conrow explained a recent power outage during heavy snowfall the previous Friday was not caused by the city’s power lines. The brief interruption was due to an issue with Central Electric, the city’s power supplier.

“It took the town and Howard Electric out,” he said. “It was out of our hands, and there was nothing we could do.”

The outage was the only power interruption over two winter storms that blanked the Midwest with snow and ice.

The board president of Downtown Fayette, formerly Fayette Main Street, Deanna Cooper, reported that the organization is on schedule for its sidewalk improvement program on a block of North Main Street between Davis and Elm streets. She hopes to extend requests for proposals in March. Eighty percent of the project will be covered by a grant from the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Mrs. Cooper also said Downtown Fayette is interested in starting a farmers’ market. She also said the state’s Main Street program selected Fayette as the location for its annual spring workshop on March 5 and 6.

We’ll have 140 to 150 people come in from other communities. It’s our time to shine and welcome them,” she said.

Fayette City Clerk Mati Rogers reported that the city had requested a refund of 35% of the interest paid last year on its Build America Bond. She expects the city to receive around $32,000 sometime in April.

Another matter tabled was a subcommittee’s report on a job description for a city administrator, along with a salary recommendation and hiring process. The subcommittee has yet to meet, so no report has been produced.

The council had just enough members to form a quorum for the light agenda. The board unanimously appointed Bradley Patty to the Planning & Zoning Commission. Mr. Patty, a retired veteran, is new to Fayette and had contacted Mayor Greg Stidham with the hopes of serving the city in some capacity.

Council members also granted unanimous approval for a business license for LaFayette on the Square, the new restaurant that owners Brandy Asbury and Matt Buckman hope to open in May on the corner of Church and Morrison streets in the newly constructed Eagle Plaza on the east side of the Fayette downtown square.

The board also approved a proclamation for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Mayor Stidham read the proclamation during an MLK Day ceremony held at Central Methodist University on Saturday.

Mayor Stidham answered an inquiry from Alderwoman Broadus regarding the city hiring a new building inspector. The previous inspector, Angie Malone, was forced to resign due to health issues. 

The mayor said the city has been creating a list of houses that are vacant and not using city utilities and that need to be torn down. He said he has spoken to a few interested people about the job and plans to advertise the position soon.

The mayor also reported that MECO Engineering has completed plans for the wing wall at D.C. Rogers Lake. Those plans need to be approved by FEMA, which will cover the repair, before bids can go out.

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 published in advance, and the public is invited.