Scott City officials consider bid for Main Street property

Scott City plans to approach Union Pacific Railroad soon about purchasing a UP-owned lot on Main Street.

At Monday night's city council meeting, the council unanimously decided to forgo its yearly lease payment of $1,500 to UP in favor of striking a deal to purchase the land.

The property is currently a parking lot on Main Street where a city-owned caboose sits. UP owns the 90-by-600-foot plot and has leased the property to the city for several years. Currently, businesses across from the lot use it for parking.

Mayor Tim Porch said he wants the city to make a "good faith offer" to buy the land from the railroad. If the railroad doesn't want to sell, Porch said he supports beginning condemnation proceedings to bring the property under city control.

City leaders have said they want to use money put aside for capital improvements for the purchase. They hope to place a visitor's center on the property in the future.

In other business:

* The council voted 8 to 0 to vacate a portion of 7th Street East from Maple Street to Olive Street.

* The council voted 8 to 0 to allow the Knights of Columbus to have a skeet shooting event at 1 p.m. Sept. 3 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in the city limits.

* The council voted 8 to 0 to pass a resolution pledging the city's support for and participation in the local Keep America Beautiful program.

* The council voted 8 to 0 to annex 401 Amber Drive.

* The council voted 8 to 0 to approve tax rates for the current fiscal year. The debt retirement tax raised about 9 cents per $100 assessed valuation to a new rate of 0.4566. The new rate was recommended by the state. The money is used to retire bonds for the construction of the city's water treatment facility.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182