DELTA STREETS WILL BE NAMED, NUMBERED

DELTA -- All of the streets in Delta will be officially named and all houses will be numbered as the town prepares for participation in a countywide enhanced 911 emergency dispatching service.

Delta Mayor Paul Evans said the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning Commission in Perryville will help lay out the addressing plan, which will be carried out this year.

"Most of our streets have names," Evans said. "There may be two or three streets that are not named," he said, but none of the houses have numbers.

"All the houses will have to be numbered for the first time," said Evans.

The city will purchase new street signs. "A lot of the signs we did have are gone now," he said.

"It has always been hard to give somebody directions if they don't know where they are going. We've always just counted so many houses from the corner or given directions like the white house on Miller street."

With the new 911 emergency response service, more specific directions are needed.

"Maybe it will look a little better also," Evans said.

While they're at it, Delta officials are developing a plan to zone the town for business and residential uses. The city has no zoning plan.

"We had a lawyer draw up a plan," Evans said. "Now we've got to take a look at it. We want to be fair to everybody."

Delta is applying for a Department of Natural Resources block grant to build a new water tower and well. This marks the fourth year the city has applied for the grant.

Evans said he is hopeful this year will be the charm. The application has been modified, and he said he hopes it will be more attractive to those who review the grant proposals.

Delta is asking for $350,000. The city has upped the amount it plans to contribute to the plan to $40,000 and has purchased a power generator to be used with the water pump.

The existing water tower and well are over 20 years old. The tower holds 50,000 gallons of water. "That is barely one day's supply," he said. "We want to build another 50,000-gallon water tower."

The two towers and wells would operate jointly. "We will use our existing treatment plant for both." The grant application also includes increasing some main water lines and adding some additional lines.

Evans said Delta has been lucky so far and hasn't experienced water shortages or outages. "But, if we were down for any length of time or if we had a big fire, it would be different story.

"Hopefully, since we are putting more money with the grant this year, we will get it," Evans said.

While they wait, city officials have approved improvements at the sewer treatment plan to make the lift station operate more efficiently. Also, drainage ditches and culverts in the city will be repaired and updated.

The city also has an annual plan to maintain its city streets and alleys. "We budget money each year for street repair," Evans said. "We've been doing it for several years, and as long as we keep it up, the streets remain in good condition."

Delta's town marshal still patrols the streets on a part-time basis.

"It's costly," Evans said about paying the marshal's salary. "But I think it has worked. Of course, it's not going to curb everything, but because he works part-time they're never certain when he's going to be on duty."

The Delta volunteer fire department, although not affiliated with city government, is planning to build a new firehouse, Evans said. "They are looking for a location right now. Any new growth is good for Delta."

Evans said business in Delta is slow and no new businesses have sprung up recently. "I wish we could get some businesses in, but with the economy, I just don't know. We would be interested in helping any small business interested in opening here."