Water work along Jackson's Main Street could be delayed

A planned upgrade of the water lines along several blocks of East Main Street in Jackson “may or may not start sometime this fall,” according to Kent Peetz, Jackson public works director.

Peetz provided a project timeline update during the Jackson Board of Aldermen’s study session Monday night. He said the project, which is intended to replace aging and “somewhat undersized” water pipes is not considered urgent and doesn’t necessarily have to happen this year.

Whether the work begins this fall, Peetz said, will depend on at least a couple of factors, including completion of the Missouri Department of Transportation’s diverging diamond interchange (DDI) project at the junction of Interstate 55 and U.S. 61 at Exit 99, between Jackson and Cape Girardeau.

“We do not want to have lots of construction and the associated traffic disruptions on East Main Street while the DDI is still going on,” he said. Construction at the interchange has resulted in additional traffic on East Main Street, which connects with I-55 at Exit 102.

Another factor that could delay the project, he said, relates to the supply and cost of materials.

“With supply chain issues causing pipe supplies to be scarce, and pricing to be very unpredictable, it may be prudent to evaluate delaying the project,” he said. “(But) we hope that all of these issues work themselves out and we are able to bid the project once MoDOT’s contractor announces a target completion date.”

Earlier Monday evening, the aldermen held three brief public hearings on a trio of zoning matters:

• An amendment to Jackson’s zoning codes related to application fees pertaining to requests for rezoning, special-use permits and variances.
• A separate amendment to the zoning codes adding term lengths for alternate members of the city’s Zoning Board of Adjustment.
• A special-use permit request submitted by Saint Francis Healthcare System to allow an oversized attached sign and a 108-square-foot oversized monument sign in a C-2 general commercial district at 2130 E. Jackson Blvd.

No one appeared in opposition to either the ordinance modifications or the special-use permit request.

Board actions

Following the public hearings, the aldermen:

• Approved the city administrator’s appointment of Anna Bergmark to serve as Jackson city engineer following the recent resignation of Clint Brown from that position.
• Voted to approve the abandonment of an easement deed at 3310 E. Jackson Blvd. as requested by Donna Schuette.
• Set 6 p.m. June 7 as the date and time for a public hearing to consider a request for a special-use permit that would allow a 100-square-foot oversized attached sign in a C-2 general commercial district at 2681 E. Main St., as submitted by Triple Diamond Properties LLC.
• Approved zoning ordinance amendments previously discussed during public hearings at the beginning of Monday night’s meeting.
• Approved the special-use permit request from Saint Francis Healthcare System related to signage at the new Saint Francis outpatient medical facility in the 2100 block of East Jackson Boulevard.

Also at Monday night’s board meeting, Alderman David Hitt announced the Jackson American Legion will sponsor a Memorial Day program at 9 a.m. May 31 on the old Cape Girardeau County Courthouse grounds. The program will feature remarks by Jackson School District Board of Education president Kelly Waller, music by the Jackson Municipal Band and recognition of graduating high school seniors who are entering military service.

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