We are halfway through 2025 and we have had a lot of things going on. The required archaeological study has been completed and the mandatory environmental study that was required has just been wrapped up. In the meantime, we have been working on the things that we can move forward with. On July 7, we reviewed the plans for the water infrastructure replacement, addressed any changes we saw that were needed, and signed off on it to go to the Department of Natural Resources for approval. The completion date for the water project is still by the end of April 2026. We are actively working on the Sewer infrastructure replacement project so, once the water project is finished, we will be ready to go. 

The last census that was completed was during Covid and census takers were not allowed to go out in the field to collect info from people who didn’t respond.  When we got the finalized data and reviewed the numbers, we found the average household income for the City Of Mokane recorded as $85,000 a year. I called the Federal Office of the Census Bureau and was told, since they could not send agents out in the field, they used numbers that were generated from similar towns. This much higher income figure has made us ineligible for future grants however, we can send out information questionnaires similar to the census and, if we get a 90% return of those forms, we can use that information to correct the average household income and regain Mokane’s grant eligibility. We have been approved to give $10 credit on the wastewater bill to those who fill out and return the information packet. We could need more grant funding for the sewer project and, if the City is ineligible, the funds may have to come via a loan which could mean higher sewer bills. One grant program requires all customers receiving sewer services to fill out and return the form so those with sewer services outside the city limits will be included in this.

Work on 3rd Street to replace the narrow bridges (culverts) is progressing well. Three culverts will be replaced with larger ones, wing walls will be added to control water flow, large rock will be added to the creek banks to control erosion, and the street will be widened and raised. These improvements will help control flash flooding in the future. Funding through a Community Development Block Grant and assistance from the Callaway County Commissioners have made this storm water project possible.

We now have a community notification system that allows us to send out alerts or other valuable information via email. The option to receive the alerts through text messages will be available soon. To sign up, visit mokanemo.gov and click the red bell in the lower left hand corner of the screen

Thanks to help from a Mokane resident, there will now be an ice cream truck in town on a regular basis. He will be on 3rd Street in front of the City shop on July 18th and 19th for Hogs and Frogs then will be back weekly on Wednesdays. I have also been meeting with the South Callaway Superintendent and talked to the AmVets, and Lions Club about working together to bring more to Mokane. 

Remember, City Council meetings are on the first Monday of every month at the City shop on 3rd Street and start at 6:30. If that day is a holiday, the meeting will be on the second Monday. We had been live streaming meetings but issues with YouTube have prevented that for the time being. We hope to get that running again soon.

The new community building will hopefully be finished by the end of summer! Several people in and around Mokane have been involved in making this happen. We plan to have an open house and dedication ceremony shortly after completion. 

 

Chad Booher -Mokane Mayor