Hannibal Police and Fire Personnel Recognized

Tuesday’s Hannibal City Council meeting began with a large show of support for drug abuse prevention. The youth service organization Teens in Motion presented a check for $3057 to the Hannibal Police Department’s DARE program. The donation was funded by sales of T-shirts expressing support for law enforcement.

Four members of Hannibal Fire Department’s Swift Water Rescue Team received praise for their lifesaving efforts during recent flooding in southern Missouri.  Ben Devlin, Jeff Moore, Shawn Smith, and Dustin Royal were dispatched to provide mutual aid to fellow first responders.  Besides assisting with 20 evacuations, the team rescued a man clinging to a tree in rising flood waters.

Mayor Hark praised the team and said they not only represented Hannibal well, but earned statewide respect.  Hark presented the four with certificates of appreciation as well as honorary badges from the Popular Bluff Police Department and Butler County Sheriff’s Office.

In other council business:

• Approval of a $6,385,000 contract with Chester Bross Construction means a large portion of Hannibal's 117 miles of streets will be resurfaced in the next three years.  Public Works Superintendent Brian Chaplin says work should begin in about 3 weeks, with streets in the worst shape getting priority.  The south side, however, will be the last area to be resurfaced, due to a number of home rehabs underway as part of the PRIDE project.
• Fire Chief Sean Hampton received approval to purchase a 2016 demo ladder truck for $ 698,000 from Banner Fire Equipment. The truck will replace a 2006 model with frame corrosion issues.  The 2006 truck will be sold for $210,000, leaving a balance of $488,000 which will be financed with a 10-year loan.
• Hannibal Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Gail Bryant received approval to spend $4200 on engineering services as Phase 1 of construction of a new visitor's center on Highway 36 near the Aquatic Center.
• The following events are approved:
• Relay for Life on North Main Street June 2.
• Alcohol consumption in the historic area during Music Under the Stars events from June 1 to August 31.
• Bluff City Theater received approval to discharge a shotgun with blanks in Nipper Park during outdoor performances of the play "Boys in Autumn" from May 30 to June 10.