Litany of projects, initiatives reviewed

By Murray Bishoff Special to the Monett Monthly

Mickey Ary, Monett’s city administrator, offered a comprehensive update on city projects and initiatives at the Monett Historical Society’s October monthly meeting. 

Ary recounted how he left a 38-year career in faith-based work to get a degree in public administration, leading to a second career in city administration. In Monett for a year-and-a-half, Ary told about his first visit and being driven around Monett with Mike Garrett and Donna Beckett, catching their enthusiasm about the community. He was immediately impressed by the Monett Area YMCA and recognized the community had something special in play. 

“Government moves slowly,” Ary learned. “Sometimes it needs a jump start.” 

That had been part of numerous efforts he recounted underway in the city. 

Among these is the railroad overpass on Chapell Drive, the fourth in town. He noted City Engineer Kevin Sprenkle has worked on all of them. A preconstruction conference was planned the day after the meeting, moving the 18-month undertaking forward. 

Ary mentioned the recent resurfacing of Broadway and how the public works department replaced the stormwater drainage system on Ninth Street with 52 concrete box culverts, all installed by city crews. He noted work continues to address flooding on Kelly Creek with federal funds. He anticipated action on that effort remained eight to 10 years away. 

Planning ahead, he said, had been a key to Monett’s successes. He mentioned the $4 million upgrade to Monett’s wastewater treatment plant, made more efficient and less energy-reliant by switching to mixing the process with air. Because past planning enabled the city to have strong water pressure throughout town, the city earned 39.5 points out of 40 in a recent review by the Insurance Services Organization, impacting local fire insurance rates. 

Sticking to city infrastructure, Ary talked about how the city was building its first electric substation at the north end of Fourth Street that the city will own, the rest remaining property of Liberty Utilities. Likewise, last year the city extended and expanded Lowe’s Lane to handle heavy steel for Steel Tech, and advanced plans for sidewalks there. 

Reconstruction of Central Avenue, he noted, has been paused while the city council works on building a connector road between Hwy. 37 at North Park and Hwy. H. The connector becomes strategic with the homes being built for the new North Hills subdivision off Farm Road 2230. The same effort coincides with improving fire protection for the area by building a third fire station at Hwy. 37. Ary commended Pete and Betty Rauch for making their adjacent land available for the fire station. He noted discussions about the new station have included making space available for the Barry-Lawrence Ambulance District in it. 

Ary noted the city continues to look at ways to improve the intersection at Broadway and Central. He confirmed the city purchased the former Black Kettle restaurant building to possibly help that effort. Action on the building presently depends on an asbestos inspection. 

A big part of the city’s success Ary credited to partnerships. He cited working with the school district to replace the tennis courts at North Park, expanding them from four to six and making the new courts purple to match school colors. He commended the partnership with PlayPower in adding the new playground at South Park, where the old swimming pool had been located. He talked about inviting local artists to help paint the five concrete hillside benches that remain from the swimming pool days. 

The dog park, a collaborative effort with Monett Main Street, is nearing completion. City crews have erected the pavilion, that sat in pieces for seven years, and installed two water fountains for the dogs. He expected the fence to be erected on Nov. 9. 

Getting a new roof on the Freedom Silo was another effort done with Main Street. Ary recounted his trip to inspect the “dog house” structure on top with Sprenkle, a harrowing experience due to the height, prompting Ary to decline any future inspection invitations. 

The wayfinding signs showing local attractions have been updated to include the Downtown Pavilion, the splash pad, Freedom Park, and the Freedom Silo. At the request of the American Legion Post, the flagpole from the former American Legion Home has been moved to Freedom Park. A new monument recognizing veterans from the two World Wars has been placed at the park by the VFW Post. Sidewalks at the park are being poured. Ary invited his audience to attend a service at the park on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, at 10 a.m., where the band will play, speakers from both veterans’ organizations will speak, and a flag-raising ceremony will be held. 

Ary spoke about coming from a reception for the Monett Arts Council, a group he helped organize which has plans to become a not-for-profit corporation. As part of working with Monett Main Street finding performance venues, Ary talked about reopening the Monett City Hall Auditorium, which is now down to 548 seats from its original 600+. A key to that effort was getting the city hall elevator working again, another accomplishment. He hoped to use the auditorium as a performance venue for downtown events. Ary said talks with the Gillioz Theatre staff in Springfield led to interest in bringing shows from that Springfield venue to the auditorium, another of contractor M.E. Gillioz’s creations. 

Ary recounted how he and Alyssa Vaughn from Monett Main Street took a group around town and asked for reactions and what could be improved. This group started Project Curb Appeal. Homes have been selected and identified with yard signs as particularly noteworthy, inspiring others who want to be on the list. 

At the Monett Regional Airport, Ary said there are plans in the near future for a ribbon-cutting at the new 80-by-80-foot hangar. Around 20 aviators want to park their planes at the airport and have been looking for hangar space. The new hangar will accommodate some of them. 

Ary recounted how the City Annex at Maple and County Road was renovated into a major meeting facility for city business. He mentioned new businesses in town such as Amazon, 7 Brew, the Patriot Mart, and Vaughn Recycling. Another initiative is looking at building a new gateway sign to welcome visits to town, similar to the ones in Republic and Aurora. Ary hoped those plans could be unveiled at the State of the City address in January, along with its location around the Hwy. 37-60 intersection. 

Ary also mentioned groups like Monett Cares, that took over the Community Garden this year; the Monett Area Chamber of Commerce and its new executive director, Cheryl Caraway; and churches that have helped paint fire hydrants. He described how the online Monett Minute videos started, bringing additional TV coverage to Monett. 

“People deserve to be told what’s going on,” Ary said. “It’s all about telling the story of Monett.” 

The Monett Historical Society will host a fashion show and luncheon at 11:30 a.m. on Nov. 7 at the City Park Casino. The next membership meeting at the Museum’s Events Center will be on Nov. 17.