50 years ago

July 9, 1975

— ANNEXATION ORDINANCE COUNCIL STEP FOR GROWTH Almost two years in development, the Cassville city council Tuesday passed an annexation ordinance that could eventually add 1,172.55 acres to the corporate limits of the town. As passed by unanimous vote of the council and signed by Mayor Bill Le Compte, the ordinance paves the way for court action to add seven tracts to the city limits. City Attorney Joe R. Ellis presented the ordinance, which will not be filed in Barry County Circuit Court as authorization of declaratory judgment action. A court approval must be secured before an election on annexation can be called. Tracts surrounding the present corporate limits would virtually double the present land area of Cassville. Acre sizes of the tracts are as follows: 33.90, 450, 27.70, 294.78, 33, 39, 287 and 55.78. Ellis told the council he would make appropriate filings in court within the next two weeks. Representative citizens of the area proposed for annexation will be named in the legal action only as a technical point. Circuit Judge William Pinnell will schedule further hearings in the action as required by Missouri law. In other action before the council: Marvin Phipps, FmHA county supervisor, presented letters of condition, federal applications and grant agreements for a total of $115,400 grants involved in flood control, bridge replacement and road improvement at the west end of the Sales Barn Road. Funds will come from $65,400 in FmHA and $50,000 in Ozarka Regional Commission. City participation will involve about $41,900 classified in-kind contributions and approximately $20,000 in cash. Council was told that a pump pulling and well bailing program to improve water conditions had been delayed until fall to avoid a heavy water usage time. A well at the top of the West Seventh Street hill will be checked for oil leakage. An audit réport received by council from a Neosho firm will be reviewed either in a special meeting or the August session. Council officially accepted airport bid of $173,891.50 by Hamilton-Patton Construction Co. of Mt. Vernon. Citizens, Mr. and Mrs. R. G. Batson, Carrie Cruise and Maybell Mandell, appeared before council to regiter complaint about weeds, growth and trash in 11th Street drainage ditches. Council promised action on clean-up. All four members of the council, Marlee Edie, Bill Hailey, Gene Schlichtman and W. E. Leonard concurred unanimously in decisions made by the council during the session.

— PERSONNEL NAMED FOR YOUTH LIVESTOCK SHOW The fifth annual Barry County Youth Livestock Show will be held at the Cassville Rodeo Grounds Friday July 25. $900 in cash prizes, plus trophies and ribbons will be awarded. Stock must be in the pens by 4:30 p.m. and the show begins at 5 p.m. Any boy or girl under 21 years of age, residing, attending school, or belonging to a 4-H club in Barry County is eligible to enter the show. Only one animal can be shown in each class and must be shown by owner. Vicki Lebow is show chairman; Greg Holmes, secretary; Jerry Yarnall, treasurer; and Dennis Schad, reporter. Dennis Schad is assistant superintendent. Ray Brattin is superintendent of the beef division with Kevin Butler as assistant superintendent of the dairy division with Doug Holmes as assistant superintendent. The show is sponsored by Cassville Chamber of Commerce, Barry County 4-H and Barry County FFA.

40 years ago

July 10, 1985

— COUNCIL COULD DECIDE TO REBATE FOR ALL JULY 18

Cassville city council could decide July 18 whether they will make a general rebate to water users. The refund, if made, would probably be on the basis of recommended water rates due in a study by an engineering firm scheduled to be completed next week. Council adjourned their regular session Tuesday night after an hour-long discussion on water rate refunds that resulted in recent court action. They adjourned to reconvene at 6:30 p.m. July 18, hopefully to make a final decision on what refunds would be made and in what amounts. Action to go back in session came on a suggestion by Mayor Rolland Meador, after he polled the council on their opinions on making refunds. Responses included the following: Bob Mizer, “Pay all refunds as per rates on the court order.” Bill Shiveley, “Pay inside city limits residents, but non-residents would be doubtful.” Gary Fields, “Refunds should be made to residents and non-residents alike, based on rate study.” Council was apparently talking about refunds based on 18 months water use, since courtstruck increases were ruled unconstitutional by Barry County Circuit Court. Council discovered Tuesday that checks written to 15 plaintiffs in the court action had not been cashed. Apparently the payments have not been accepted since they are considered excessive. Leon Jackson, one of the plaintiffs, said the payments could be onethird high according to initial investigation, due to sewer charges for 1979–1983 being under billed. Meador kicked-off the blanket refund possibility with a suggestion that council pay back if funds are available, following the rate study. The mayor speculated the city was selling water and sewer charges now at a loss. “Our pending study from engineers will let us know what road to take. We have a moral obligation to make refunds to all, if they are due,” he said. City clerk Jo Ledgerwood said the Joplin firm making the study has been provided statistics on three years of water consumption, ordinances and other necessary information. She said the firm realized their work should be cautious and complete, due to past and future litigation possibilities. Fields told the council, “A seat of the britches method was used in setting the disputed rates. We should not follow the same route on refunds.” City attorney Don Cupps said the refunds, if made in total to 1,200 water users, could cost the city between $300,000 and $350,000. Mayor Meador told the council the adjourned session next week would be the determining factor in how far possible refunds might reach. Also pending information of the rate study is a 1985 budget for Cassville and setting of a tax levy for this year. Meador said these actions would be completed once the water-sewer situation was settled. One item was resolved before the council: Ken Novak, summer recreation director, was given approval to purchase about 270 trophies and plaques that will be presented participants and sponsors. Approximately a $500 expenditure. Ken Sutton, operator of Southwest Sanitation, going into the third year of contract for trash service here, requested a 10 percent increase in charges. Sutton told council landfill dumping charges were increasing and his contract calls for a five percent cost of living increase yearly. He noted the increase was not requested last year. Sutton also told council a large number of persons were using neighbor’s trash receptacles and commercial service dumpsters and then refusing to pay contract prices through city water billings. Council acknowledged instances of persons living outside the area bringing trash to city dumpsters. Cupps was instructed to draft ordinances to prohibit misuse of the service and dodging of charges. He was also instructed to investigate price increases authorized under the contract between Cassville and Sutton. Andy Olson, resident of Third Street, made two complaints, one involving weeds at Third and Mountain and High. He also said he had paid a $35 ticket for parking in a handicapped area, but didn’t object if the ordinance was being enforced on a consistent basis, but maintained it was not. Denny Leach appeared before council representing group that seeks permission to fly remote control aircraft at municipal airport. Council gave approval, contingent on checking with Federal Aviation Administration concerning possible restrictions. June bills payable at the session amounted to $18,155.37. Attorney Jim McConnell presented council with ordinance officially annexing 14 lots in Wildwood Estates. The voluntary program had been previously approved following a public hearing in May. City Vision, supplier of cable television services, was given permission to provide an irrevocable letter of credit in place of $20,000 bond required under their contract. The firm’s contract requires performance assurance, with council agreeing to accept the secretary method. Mr. and Mrs. John Starchman requested naming of street off 13th Street which joins property they have purchased. The name Crestview Terrace will be adopted providing proof can be obtained that the city has officially accepted the street and platted area. George Ulmer, engineer for the city, presented information concerning issuance of pre-treatment permits for all industrial firms depositing 25,000 gallons or more water daily into wastewater treatment facilities. Presently only FASCO Industries, with 67,000 gallons daily, would be involved. Morris Castleberry, plant manager, was in the council meeting and said periodic testing required by the Department of Natural Resources, had been followed by the company prior to the ordinance being considered between the state and city which began last February.

— DEER AND TURKEY SEASONS IN MISSOURI

Almost twice as many gun deer hunters will have a chance to take home an antlerless deer this year, November 16-24, as last when hunters took a record 71,569 deer. The Conservation Commission has increased the number of antlerless deer tags, which are chosen by random selection after an application by hunters, to 105,500 from 53,800 last year. The archery deer season will be comparable to previous years, opening October 1 through November 15, and again November 25 through December 31, with one deer of either sex legal. With the increase in antlerless deer tags, wildlife biologists expect the 1985 deer harvest to be near 100,000. Last year’s total was 24 percent over the previous record harvest. There were 289,169 resident hunting permits sold last year, a four percent increase from 1983, while non-resident permits decreased some 24 percent to 7,165. The archery kill was 5,134, with 56,378 permits sold. The Commission also set the opening date of the 1986 gun deer season at November 15. Antlerless deer quota by management unit number 19, including the area is 9,500 up from 5,300, are as follows, (last year’s quota in parentheses): Missouri’s fall shotgun wild turkey season will be October 14-27, with one bird legal and the same 86 counties open that were open in the 1984 season. The archery turkey season will be identical with archery deer season, October 1-November 15, and again November 25-December 31, with one bird of either sex legal. The archery turkey season will be open statewide. The number of turkey season will be open statewide. The number of turkey hunters in the fall season rose from 25,414 in 1979 to 39,160 in 1983.

30 years ago

July 5, 1995

— THOUSANDS CONVERGED ON CASSVILLE TO CELEBRATE THE SESQUICENTENNIAL

Cassville’s Sesquicentennial celebration was claimed a huge success by those who attended the weekend events and by those who planned them. Darrell Ledenham, chairman of the Sesquicentennial Committee, said he was really pleased with the community’s support. “We had a wonderful turnout for all the activities,” Ledenham said. “God smiled on us with beautiful weather, and attendance at all the events was constant.” Ledenham added that he was blessed with a committee of people who really worked hard to make the weekend run smoothly. An estimated 2,000 people attended Friday night’s balloon glow, and over 1,000 people gathered at the American Legion for Sunday evening’s community ser-vice. The civil war reenactment group said in the five years they have been together, they have never been to a nicer place. They commented on the number of people who visited them at Rocky Edmondson Park and on the natural beauty of the area, Ledenham said. Other positive comments overheard at weekend activities are too numerous to mention. In honor of the Sesquicentennial, the Cassville Democrat has devoted two pages of pictures to record the city’s 150th birthday party. The photo layout appears on pages six and seven of this issue.

— CASSVILLE GREENWAY ON SCHEDULE CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN AUGUST 15

Cassville’s Greenway project appears to be on schedule according to Gregg Beavers, city administrator. The greenway is a proposed pedestrian and bike trail that will run through the city along Flat Creek. The city has sent the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department the necessary paperwork and now the process of reviewing the plans, specifications and bid documents for the greenway will begin. This process should take about four weeks, Beavers said. The bid phase of the project will begin after the plans are approved by MHTD, and bids should be awarded by August 1. Construction is scheduled to begin on August 15. Beavers said the project should take about 60 days to complete. Based on that schedule, area residents could begin using the path on October 15. The one-mile-plus greenway will cost $74,000 to construct. Grant money will pay for $51,800 of that amount, and the city will provide a 30 percent match totaling $22,200. City funds have already been budgeted for the project. Cassville initially paid $6,500 to Ozarks Greenway, Inc. of Springfield to design the pro back in June 1994. The path will extend along Flat Creek from Edmondson Park to the site of city’s new 40-acre park. The path will be 10 feet wide with an aggregate base, paved in areas requiring erosion control. Beavers said city hopes to connect the green to a proposed nature trail at the new park site. Trailheads will be located at Rocky Edmondson Park and near the city tennis courts. A parks committee, consisting of Judy Schlichtman, Les Chapman, Rick Linebarger, Philbrick and Randy Stockma been overseeing all aspects of the city’s park projects.