‘Disappointing’: Louderman’s list of Board of Public Works ordinances struck down by Hannibal City Council 

HANNIBAL, Mo. — A series of ordinances proposed by Mayor Barry Louderman about oversight of the Hannibal Board of Public Works (HBPW) was struck down by the Hannibal City Council at its meeting Tuesday night.

Had the ordinances been approved, voters would have had the opportunity to indicate their support or opposition to further council oversight of the HBPW in the next municipal election on Apr. 8. The proposed ordinances were:

• to require that the Board of Public Works give a 60-day notice to the council of salary increases to its employees;
• to require that the Board of Public Works give a 60-day notice to the council of its proposed budget;
• to require that the Board of Public Works give a 60-day notice to the council of utility rate increases;
• to change the number of votes needed from the council to remove a member of the Board of Public Works from five to four;
• and to require that the Board of Public Works meets with the council at their request on various matters that affect the citizens of Hannibal.

The city’s charter requires all changes regarding the HBPW be voted on by the people. Louderman’s proposals would have given voters the chance to transform the issue from one that necessitates changes to the charter to one that requires changes be made via ordinance amendment by the council — a much quicker and simpler process.

Most ordinances failed to pass with a 3-2 vote. Louderman voted in favor of each ordinance, but as stated by City Attorney James Lemon, “the mayor’s vote is solely for breaking ties,” and thus, was not counted.

Some of the ordinances didn’t even have enough support to allow City Clerk Melissa Cogdal to read them for a second and final reading.

“We’ll just let this one die,” Louderman said of what was formerly known as “Bill No. 24-034.” 

“Disappointing.”

Voting against the ordinances were 2nd Ward Councilmember Mike Dobson, 3rd Ward Councilmember Robert Koehn and 4th Ward Councilmember Charles Phillips. Joining Louderman to vote in favor of the ordinances were 1st Ward Councilmember Scott Haycraft and 6th Ward Councilmember Nathan Munger. The seat in the 5th Ward remains unfilled after Colin Welch’s resignation at the Jan. 7 City Council meeting.

“The whole idea behind being on City Council is to let citizens vote so their voices can be heard,” Louderman said. “Obviously that’s not in your favor tonight.”

The votes came after HBPW Board President John Ortwerth gave his thoughts on the matter.

“In my seven years, (the Board has) been asked one time to come to a meeting. We did so without question, without hesitation,” he said. “So I’m just wondering if there’s a problem, or a perceived problem, that a charter change needs to happen that will afford something that already happens willingly to be a requirement.”

Ortwerth said the majority of voters would think the board is “out of control” and that its members “need to be monitored” upon being asked to vote on five ordinances in a row that would give the council more oversight of the board.

“The people who run the Board of Public Works are consummate rule followers because they have to report to at least a dozen entities with all kinds of things,” Ortwerth said.

Louderman again voiced his dissatisfaction following the council’s rejection.

“Before we adjourn, I have to say once again: our role as a city council is to allow citizens to vote on a change,” he said. “It doesn’t matter how you feel.”

The letdown meets Louderman in his final months as mayor of the city of Hannibal. He announced his plans not to run for re-election in a Muddy River News story published Tuesday.

Dobson isn’t running for re-election either, opting not to file paperwork with the city before the Dec. 31 deadline.

“I’ve been on the council for 15 years, so I figured it was time to let somebody younger and with, you know, maybe more enthusiasm take over,” Dobson said.

Dobson and his wife recently bought a lot intending to build a house outside of the 2nd Ward. Replacing the sidewalks on Main Street and the riverfront project are among Dobson’s proudest accomplishments from his time on the council, which dates back to April 2010.

Three candidates are set to appear on the ballot for Dobson’s seat:

• Tammy Riley,
• Earl T. Hughes,
• and April Azotea.

Euhlan Leeders is running unopposed for Phillips’s 4th Ward seat.

The 5th Ward seat is up for grabs via council appointment to fulfill the rest of Welch’s term, which is set to expire next year. Interested people have until 10 a.m. Feb. 25 to submit applications to the City Clerk’s office. The City Council will select a candidate at its March 4 meeting.

Candidates must meet the following requirements:

• at least 25 years of age;
• citizen of the United States;
• registered voter of the city;
• Hannibal resident for at least one year;
• Fifth Ward resident for at least six  months proceeding;
• and must be up-to-date on their city tax payments.

The council briefly discussed the topic of fluoride in the city’s water, but the general consensus was that more research was needed to make educated decisions on the matter. Further discussion is set for the Feb. 4 meeting.

Hannibal Fire Chief Ryan Neisen proposed an ordinance to expand the age requirements for incoming firefighters, lowering the requirement from 21 to 18 years old and extending the requirement from 36 to 40 years old. 

“The purpose of this is to expand our hiring pool and try to gain more applicants and potential firefighters,” Neisen said. “Currently, we have two people who are qualified to be hired, but they are 20 years old. They’re basically waiting for their 21st birthday.”

The ordinance was given a first reading, with a second to follow next month.

Additionally, the council:

• heard the first reading of the appointment of Linda Spaun to the Hannibal Free Public Library Board of Trustees for a term set to expire June 2026.
• heard a recommendation from City Manager Lisa Peck for Cole Painter to the Board of Public Works for a term set to expire July 2028.
• heard the first reading of an ordinance to accept the dedication of an alley running parallel to Eighth Street and perpendicular to Lyons Street for public use.
• approved the mayor’s authorization of an agreement between the Hannibal Fire Department and Don Brown Chevrolet in which the city would pay 50 percent of the cost for two support vehicles as a condition of a grant awarded to the department through the American Rescue Plan Act.
• approved the sale of city-owned property at 419 N. Seventh to Andrew and Megan Conkright for $1,500.