Monday, August 30, 2010

Summer months filled with activity in Rolla area

I hope everyone is enjoying the cooler weather we have had lately, and taking advantage of the newly expanded ACORN Trail and many parks we are so blessed to have in the Rolla area. Cooler weather, while it lasts, is a welcome invitation to enjoy the great outdoors, and fortunately in Rolla there is an abundance of recreational opportunities to choose from. Beautiful Ber Juan Park, the Ber Juan Tennis Complex, Lions Club Park, Schuman Park, Green Acres Park, Lane Springs, and the 1.3-million-acre Mark Twain National Forest, are just some of the areas you might consider spending some time at outdoors.

This summer, and especially the month of August, has been a very busy one not only from a construction and development standpoint, but also from a planning and meeting perspective. From City Council meetings, and City Council Workshops, to TIF Commission meetings, and a host of other events and happenings, August has been jam-packed with activity and new beginnings that are evident throughout the community.

In case you happened to miss the Annual City Council Budget Workshop held last Wednesday, I’d like to invite the public to attend the upcoming public hearings for the City’s 2010-2011 Annual budget, which will be held during the Sept. 8 and Sept. 20 Rolla City Council meetings at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Rolla City. I’d also like to remind everyone a little early that the Rolla City Council meeting normally scheduled for the first Monday in the month, will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 8. Rolla City Hall will be closed on Monday, Sept. 6 in observation of the Labor Day holiday, and Rolla Municipal Traffic Court will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 7 at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall. In addition, The Centre, Rolla’s Health and Recreation Complex, located at 1200 North Holloway Street, will be closed for the Labor Day Weekend for their annual Preventative Maintenance beginning on Friday, Sept. 3 through Monday, Sept. 6. The Centre will reopen Tuesday morning, Sept. 7. The Environmental Services Department, which will also be closed on Monday, Sept. 6 in observation of the Labor Day holiday, will be picking up Monday’s trash on Tuesday, Sept. 7 and Tuesday’s trash will be picked up on Wednesday, Sept. 8.

Also just around the corner is the TIF (Tax Increment Financing) Public Hearing on Monday, Sept. 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall. The purpose of the Public hearing is to receive input and feedback from the public regarding the proposed redevelopment plan for a new Kohl’s store in Rolla. The location of the proposed store is near the intersection of State Road 63 and Interstate 44 next to Lowe’s, and behind the inline retail shops on State Road 63. If you have any questions regarding this project, please contact the Community Development Department at City Hall at 426-6970.

In closing, I’d like to remind everyone that the distance required to drop off a load of yard compost or yard waste just got a little closer. The composting operation once operated near the Phelps County Transfer Station north of I-44 has been relocated to an area just north of the Rolla Recycling Center at the end of McCutchen Drive. The City’s Environmental Services Department, which operates the Rolla Recycling Center, erected new signs for the compost site, which is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is no charge to the general public for disposal of yard waste, however, for-profit businesses are charged a nominal fee for disposal to help off-set some of the costs of providing the facility. Contractors are asked to please stop at the office of the Recycling Center to pay to dispose of their loads of yard waste. I hope this new location will be convenient and a little more accessible to the majority of our citizens, as we continue to strive to improve the quality of our services to you.

Have a great weekend, and enjoy the cooler temperatures.

No comments: