Hannibal City Council
HANNIBAL, Mo. — Hannibal City Council had an in-depth discussion with a patron on Tuesday night regarding Hannibal’s storm water tax ballot measure Proposition S, which Hannibal voters did not approve on Tuesday’s ballot. Before the results were in, April Azotea, owner of La Azotea Cocktail Lounge in Hannibal, told the council she believed the…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — A public meeting from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9 in the City Council chambers at Hannibal City Hall will be an opportunity to gather information on public opinion about the future of the former St. Elizabeth’s Hospital building. Vacant since 2009, the building is plagued with vandalism. Its condition continues to…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. – Two Hannibal businesses will close while another is on a two-week extension as a result of three public administrative hearings at Hannibal City Council on Tuesday night. Business licenses for the Dutch Country Store and Baum Family Fun Center, previously Ten Pin Alleys, were revoked by the council. Hannibal Arby’s was granted…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — The issue of insurance for Hannibal residents who drive UTVs around town was discussed at the Hannibal City Council meeting Tuesday night. The council approved for UTVs to be driven on most city streets in July 2021. The vehicles are not allowed on highways and must be inspected by a mechanic licensed in…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — The Hannibal City Council spoke to two patrons on Tuesday night about the rights of squatters in Hannibal. A squatter is an individual who takes up residence in properties they don’t own or rent. A patron, who was not named in the meeting, spoke to the council about a situation where she…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — Hannibal City Council voted at Tuesday’s meeting to return public comment time to 7 p.m. with a three-minute time limit for each speaker and the option to extend it another three minutes. The council voted in January to give patrons a chance to speak or ask questions at 6:30 p.m., a half-hour…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — A new sixth ward council member is now seated at the Hannibal City Council table. Nathan Munger was appointed by a three to two vote to replace former Councilman Jeffrey Veach, who resigned last month after moving to a new residence outside of his ward. Hannibal code requires each council member to…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. – On Tuesday Hannibal voters will head to the polls to decide on only two issues. The Nov. 7 election will not only decide who will replace and finish the term of former Mayor James Hark who resigned in June, but voters will also decide if the city manager will be required to…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. – Hannibal City Council may adjust the way public comments are heard at their twice monthly meetings. About eight months ago, councilmen implemented a 30-minute period prior to each city council meeting to allow comments to the public. Since then, Hannibal council members have arrived to meetings at 6:30 p.m. instead of the…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — John Lyng, former Hannibal mayor, asked Hannibal City Council to either enforce or repeal a local ordinance. Lyng expressed concern at Tuesday night’s council meeting about trains blocking Hannibal intersections for up to an hour at a time. Lyng reminded council that the Hannibal ordinance regarding trains allows them only to block…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — Mayor Pro Tem Mike Dobson announced Tuesday night at the Hannibal City Council meeting that impeachment charges against Councilman Stephan Franke will not be pursued. The impeachment case, which was filed by former Mayor James Hark in January 2022, was dropped by Judge John J. Jackson on June 6 stating the city…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — The race for a new Hannibal mayor will begin next month. On Tuesday night, Hannibal City Council approved a special election to take place on Nov. 7. Candidates can file petitions on July 11 through Aug. 1. The person elected will finish the former Mayor James Hark’s term which runs through April…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — Questions about the investigation of the Hannibal city clerk might be answered at the next Hannibal City Council meeting on June 6. At the council meeting Tuesday evening, April Azotea, owner of La Azotea Lounge in Hannibal, asked about the status of the investigation on City Clerk Angel Zerbonia who, according to…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — Maria Kuhns, entrepreneurship specialist and SBDC director with the Hannibal Regional Economic Development Council, gave an update on the proposed Hannibal Community Improvement District (CID) at the Hannibal City Council meeting Tuesday. The plan for Hannibal’s CID would include a sales tax levy up to 1%, which will only apply within the…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — David Ruby, a lifelong resident of Hannibal, hopes to bring some of his childhood back to Clemens Field this summer. Ruby went before Hannibal City Council Tuesday evening to ask permission to hold an all-day wrestling and boxing event on the field, proposing it take place sometime in July. Sharing his own…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — After much debate in Hannibal City Council about requiring City Manager Lisa Peck to do a monthly report, a monthly report for March 2023 can be found on the city website. The report is 12 pages and includes a summary report of the month’s activities. It gives more detailed information from each…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — The Hannibal City Council voted Tuesday night to consider adding a monthly city manager report to its regular meeting agenda. If adopted, the report would be made by Hannibal City Manager Lisa Peck. The city manager report proposal, introduced by Councilmen Stephan Franke and Charlie Phillips, was tabled twice. The proposal then was…
Read Full Article I have been present on and off for the last six months or so at Hannibal City Council meetings. I continue to be frustrated and disappointed at the lack of professionalism and what appears to be disgust on your part at anyone and everyone asking for transparency and accountability. I have heard a few of our…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. – The Hannibal City Council meeting became a little heated Tuesday evening as several issues were discussed. The proposal by two councilmen, Charlie Phillips and Stephan Franke, that would require City Manager Lisa Peck to give monthly updates. Councilman Mike Dobson moved to table the proposal. Charlie Phillips told the group he has…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — The proposed tax to fund a permanent stormwater system for the city of Hannibal was temporarily killed at the Hannibal City Council meeting Tuesday evening. The proposed tax, or Proposition S, was withdrawn by Hannibal Board of Public Works Director Darrin Gordon before council members could decide if it would be on…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — Hannibal City Council agreed late Tuesday night that an investigation into the practices of city clerk Angelica “Angel” Zerbonia is needed. Zerbonia has been on paid administrative leave “for about a month,” according to Mayor James Hark. City attorney James Lemon said a “full investigation” will be needed and will be conducted…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — Candidate filing for city council seats is under way and closes at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 27 for an election to be held April 4, 2023. The three-year terms for city council seats are in the Fifth Ward, currently held by Colin Welch, and Sixth Ward, currently held by Jeffrey Veach. As…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — A revitalization plan for the city of Hannibal will have to wait a couple of weeks. During Tuesday’s meeting of the Hannibal City Council, Hannibal Regional Economic Development Council Executive Director Corey Mehaffey presented the proposed boundaries for a proposed Community Improvement District. Fourth Ward council member Charles Phillips asked that a…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — After a downtown business owner asked to lease two parking places in a lot near her business, the Hannibal City Council directed City Manager Lisa Peck to survey downtown business owners to get their opinions on the idea. At Tuesday night’s meeting, City Attorney James Lemon suggested the survey out of concern…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — Bear Creek Sports Park in Hannibal will soon be under new management. On Tuesday night, the Hannibal City Council approved a resolution which will allow the privately owned facility to become a part of the Hannibal Parks and Recreation Department. As part of the agreement the City will acquire the property, all…
Read Full Article EDITOR’S NOTE: The item proposed below by Stephan Franke was tabled during Tuesday’s meeting of the Hannibal City Council by a 6-1 vote, with Franke the lone “no” vote. As part-time elected representatives with other full-time jobs, there is a restriction on how much we as councilpeople can learn about our own government. Additionally, often…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — Tuesday’s meeting was short, but the Hannibal City Council set itself up for a longer meeting in two weeks. Council members hold three public hearings before the August 16 meeting with the first set for 6:15 pm. That meeting was requested by Corey Mehaffy, the Executive Director of Northeast Missouri Economic Development…
Read Full Article Hannibal is one step closer to the replacement of a storm sewer that collapsed several years ago under Union Street. On Tuesday, the city council approved a bid of $705,634 for the replacement of 175 feet of stone archway stormwater conveyance with T&B Trucking and Excavating. The bid was about $45,000 under engineer estimates. The…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — Hannibal has a new police chief. During Tuesday’s meeting, city council members approved the nomination of Lt. Jacob Nacke to succeed the retiring Lyndell Davis as Chief of Police. In presenting her nomination of Nacke, City Manager Lisa Peck said two internal candidates were interviewed for the job. Peck did not name…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — At Tuesday’s meeting, Hannibal City Council members heard about a program that will bring three sculptures to the city by early summer. While asking the council’s permission to close streets for the annual Historic Folklife Festival, Hannibal Arts Council Executive Director Michael Gaines talked about those plans. Gaines said Hannibal has joined…
Read Full Article The Hannibal City Council heard first reading to a change in the city’s smoking ordinance that will fully exempt private clubs from the smoking ordinance. City Attorney James Lemon said the ordinance also clarifies that a bar or restaurant cannot claim to be a “private club” and allow temporary members. In other business, there were…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — The impeachment hearing for a Hannibal City Council member is now expected to take place next month. Hannibal Mayor James Hark has alleged 3rd Ward council member Stephan Franke violated his oath of office while acting in his capacity as a City Council member by physically assaulting two female city employees. The…
Read Full Article Tuesday’s meeting of the Hannibal City Council included a visit from former Mayor John Lyng, who has filed several lawsuits against the city related to the open meetings/open records statute of the state of Missouri. Lyng has been on the winning end of at least one of the suits with others still pending. He used…
Read Full Article A recently passed ordinance dealing with camping in Hannibal’s city parks was discussed during Tuesday’s meeting. The ordinance passed in January gives the Parks and Recreation department permission to set aside areas in city parks for overnight camping. The bill came at the request of Central Services Director Andy Dorian who said homeless people often…
Read Full Article 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…
Read Full Article A long closed Hannibal Motel may soon see new life thanks to action taken Tuesday by the City Council. Council approved the purchase of the former Bestway Hotel at 612 Mark Twain Avenue to Horizon Rentals. The city obtained the hotel at no cost and will sell it to Horizon Rentals for $2870.00. That covers…
Read Full Article The Hannibal City Council has taken steps to change the definition of the term “galleries” as it is used in the city’s zoning ordinances. The issue was broached during a meeting earlier this year after a resident asked to be allowed to place an art gallery in a residence. The owner had asked for a…
Read Full Article Another mural is coming to downtown Hannibal. Muralist Ray Harvey asked for, and received, permission to block off several spots in a city owned parking lot so he can paint another mural. Earlier this year, Harvey asked for permission to temporarily close several parking spots in the lot on Main Street between Bird and Hill.…
Read Full Article The question of how to fund Hannibal’s storm water utility returned for a second discussion during Tuesday’s meeting of the Hannibal City Council. The utility is currently unfunded and voters have twice rejected funding proposals. After some discussion between council members, members of the Hannibal Board of Public Works and city staff, council decided to…
Read Full Article A light agenda with one heavy issue was addressed by the Hannibal City Council Tuesday night. The big issue was a report from City Attorney James Lemon on stormwater funding options. Lemon recently met with the CIty Manager, City Engineer and Director of Central Services to discuss the various options for funding a stormwater sewer…
Read Full Article HANNIBAL, Mo. — The city of Hannibal will be donating six properties to the Northeast Community Action Corporation. Carla Potts of NECAC told City Council members during Tuesday’s meeting that the organization plans to build six homes for residents with low to moderate incomes. Potts said the homes will rent for $450 a month. That…
Read Full Article by Jim Dewey HANNIBAL – The Hannibal City Council Tuesday night gave its second and final reading to the city’s two annual budget ordinances. As noted after the June 1 meeting, the General Fund is $13,054,739 and the citywide budget with operating expenses and capital expenses is $25,489,731. Hannibal Director of Finance Karen Burditt said…
Read Full Article by Jim Dewey HANNIBAL – The Hannibal City Council gave first reading city’s operating budget during Tuesday’s regular meeting of the Hannibal City Council. Director of Finance Karen Burditt said the General Fund is $13,054,739 and the citywide budget with operating expenses and capital expenses is $25,489,731. The Covid crisis did not affect Hannibal’s last…
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