Hannibal Mayor Pro Tem praises Hannibal success with the LST-325

HANNIBAL, Mo. – At the Hannibal City Council meeting Tuesday night, Mayor Pro Tem Mike Dobson praised the community for the warm welcome given to the LST-325 landing ship tank, which docked in Hannibal last Thursday.

Dobson reported that 12,317 people toured the ship over the weekend, and Saturday was the LST’s biggest day on the Mississippi River. Hannibal was their last stop since leaving their home in Evansville, Ind. on August 23 with stops in Wisconsin, Iowa and Missouri.

“The efforts to keep the riverfront looking good have been put forth by this council and former council as well as Parks and Recreation,” he said. “I have been down there before by different riverboats and talked to their crews and passengers and they comment on how good this riverfront looks versus some of the other stops.”

Dobson showed the council and the patrons a plaque with a bow door key, which the ship captain gave to Dobson after he presented them with a proclamation and a key to Hannibal.

“Being a representative of the city, I am proud of that and I hope the city is as well,” he said. “Some of the other stops are just gravel parking lots so when they come to a place like this they really appreciate that. I hope the people in the community appreciate it.”

Trevor McDonald, sales and marketing director at the Hannibal Convention and Visitors Bureau (HCVB), said it was a community effort. He said one example of the many who helped is Hannibal Councilman Darrell McCoy volunteered three hours of his time shuttling veterans and other visitors from parking lots in a golf cart.

McDonald, who has been at the HCVB for around three months, said planning for the ship to come to Hannibal took about a year.

In other business:

• Katy Welch was appointed to the Hannibal Visitors & Convention Board with her term to expire in September 2027.
• Maria Kuhns was appointed to the Airport Commission with her term to expire in September 2025.
• Andy Fishbeck was appointed to the Airport Commission with his term to expire in September 2027.
• Paul Miller reappointment to the Hannibal Tree Board with his term to expire in September 2026 was heard by council as a first reading.

• Central Services Director Andy Dorian informed the council of the purchasing of two 2024 Ford Maverick Trucks for $26,040 each, totaling $52,080. In a corresponding move, they are selling a 2008 Dodge Durango and a 2008 Ford F-250.

• Megan Rapp, part-time director at Hannibal Convention and Visitors Bureau, was granted a request to hire McDonald Video & Photography in the amount of $6,150 for design and layout of the Hannibal Visitors Guide.