The City of Chaffee, Missouri, has purchased enough freeze-dried food to serve 25,000 meals in the event of a future disaster.

In a 6-2 vote Monday, Chaffee City Council approved spending $4,000 for food with an expected shelf life of 20 years that is now housed in the rear of the city's fire house at 222 N. Main St.

"We'll be in good shape for emergency food if a disaster happens," said Sam Glency, Chaffee's emergency preparedness director and fire chief, adding if needed, city residents could be fed out of the accumulated stores for numerous weeks.

Glency told the eight-member council the food had an estimated retail value of $37,522 and is grateful the previous owner was willing to sell it at a greatly reduced price.

The funding is coming from the city's emergency preparedness fund and Glency told council more than $7,000 remains after the purchase.

"We also have drinking water stored and we replace it on an annual basis," Chaffee Mayor Steve Loucks said.

Chaffee residents of a certain age may remember when an F-2 tornado swept into the Scott County city in December 1957.

Published accounts from that year reported three were killed in the city and one person injured because of the Christmastime twister.

Loucks remembers it all too well.

"I was a little boy (and) I was right in the middle of it. My mother, brother and I were waiting in the car for my dad, who was at work, and (his) building was just flattened," recalled Loucks, adding no one in his family was injured.

Other action

Four Chaffee councilmen were sworn in for new two-year terms: Jack Simpson (Ward 1), Steve W. Felty (Ward 2), Dan "Bud" Finley (Ward 3) and Eric Seyer (Ward 4).

Council also acknowledged the recent passage, by an 89-47 vote, of a new one-half of 1% parks and stormwater sales tax in the April 6 municipal election.

Loucks said the tax initiative had failed on two previous occasions to win approval.