Hannibal City Council recognizes Riggs for his help with city’s Public Works

HANNIBAL, Mo. — State Representative Louis Riggs (R-Hannibal) was honored during Tuesday’s Hannibal City Council meeting by the Missouri Public Utility Alliance.

The Republican legislator, who represents all of Marion and Shelby Counties and part of Monroe County, was presented with the Richard E. Malon Public Service Award.

According to an MPUA press release, the award “recognizes a publicly elected or appointed official whose activities have furthered the objectives of municipal utilities, making contributions the have a lasting impact in the field.” 

Riggs was honored for his response to the impact of the February 2021 Winter Storm Uri on utilities. Riggs helped request and pass a budget measure that created a $50 million Municipal Utility Emergency Loan Program. 

In presenting the award, Missouri Association of Municipal Utilities (MAMU) COO Ewell Lawson said the award also recognizes Riggs efforts to improve broadband development throughout the state.

Council members also heard an update on the city’s fiscal year 2020/2021 audit from Amanda Schulz, CPA of WIlliams Keepers LLC. Results of that audit can be found by clicking this sentence.

Council approved a request from City Collector Phyllis Nelson regarding more than 20 businesses that are delinquent in acquiring business licenses. Nelson and her staff have made several attempts to contact those businesses since the June 30 deadline for licensing.

The collector’s office will now inform them that the police department will close their businesses. Police can chain and padlock the doors to a delinquent business if necessary according to Nelson. The businesses now have 30 days to appeal or get their licenses. They are also required to pay any taxes due the city or the county.

And council members approved establishing a citizen committee that will begin the process of adjusting the city’s ward boundaries following the results of the 2020 Census. The committee will include residents of each ward.