JACKSON PONDERS FIREWORKS TO CELEBRATE MILLENNIUM

JACKSON -- Jackson will consider a request to allow residents to discharge fireworks Dec. 31 to celebrate the new millennium.The request was made at Monday night's Board of Aldermen meeting by Marian Hoffman, who with her husband, Rick, owns Hoffman Family Fireworks on South Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau."This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing," Hoffman said in asking the board to allow residents to shoot off fireworks from 11:45 p.m. Dec. 31 until 12:45 a.m. Jan 1.Her husband made a similar request before the Cape Girardeau City Council Monday night.Hoffman said state law allows retailers to sell fireworks from Dec. 20 through Jan. 2, but that city ordinances supersede state law.No request was made to allow retail sales within the city. Hoffman said the company would sell fireworks for the occasion only at its standing retail outlet.Mayor Paul Sander said he expects the board will take some action at its Dec. 6 meeting. "I imagine, whether this is approved or not, a lot of people will be shooting off fireworks," he said.Sander wore a red sweatshirt to the meeting, he said, so that Cape Girardeau Mayor Al Spradling III wouldn't feel lonely. Spradling had to wear a Jackson T-shirt to Monday night's City Council meeting to settle his bet with Sander over the outcome of last week's Jackson-Cape Central game, won easily by the Indians."Mayor Spradling is an outstanding mayor for the City of Cape Girardeau and a friend of Jackson," Sander said. "And he's a very good sport."In other business, the board approved an ordinance regulating the amount of certain metals that can be deposited in the city's sewer system. Those metals are arsenic, cadmium, cyanide, chromium, copper, nickel, lead and zinc.The ordinance is a result of a review by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Natural Resources that found the city's sewer system was receiving too much of these metals, which are considered toxic and don't break down.Public Works Director Jim Roach said most of the metals were coming from a metal-plating process at the Lee-Rowan manufacturing plant. That process no longer is being used, Roach said, but the city still needs the ordinance."The regulations for discharges continue to get tighter," he said.The city issues permits for industries within its boundaries and monitors their discharges.

JACKSON BOARD OF ALDERMEN AGENDA

7:30 p.m., Monday, Nov. 15

City Hall

Public hearing* Held hearing to consider the application for a special-use permit for the establishment and operation of a professional offices in an R-3 (general residential) district at 820 E. Jackson Blvd. as submitted by David Beasley.Action itemsPower and Light Committee* Approved the voluntary annexation of property owned by Chug Crites and Julie Koontz.* Authorized Pay Request in the amount of $33,219.20 to Townsend Innovative Clearing and Growth Control under the Contractual Tree Trimming Contract.* Consider a bill proposing an ordinance amending Section 20-702 of the Code of Ordinances relating to certain waters, wastes and volume of pollutants which shall not be discharged into city sewers.Street Committee* Approved payment of $70,111.44 to Apex Paving Co. under the 1999 Asphalt Street Improvement Program Contract.* Approved first reading of an ordinance vacating a right of way for Ohio Street between Jefferson and Madison streets. A public hearing on the issue will be held Dec. 6.* Approved by a 7-1 vote an application for 5 percent Beer By Drink License for Don E. Harris, dba Rock House Entertainment, L.L.C., at 505 Benton Road. Alderwoman Val Tuschoff dissented.