Linn aldermen approved the purchase of 7.7 acres near 708 and 802 East Jefferson Street for $103,950 from Turner and Russell Properties, LLC during closed session following last Tuesday’s regular meeting. Aldermen Steve Boeckmann, Mike Montgomery, and Rick Niewald voted in favor of Bill #2021-012 authorizing Mayor Dwight Massey to enter into the real estate agreement on behalf of the city. Alderman Bill Turner abstained from the vote.

Planning & Zoning Commission members approved the request to split the lot owned by Alderman Turner and his sister, Robin Russell, and the matter was then taken up by aldermen.

Massey told the UD in a subsequent interview that he envisions utilizing the property for the development of residential housing.

“The aldermen and I talked about this at length,” said Massey. “We own the adjoining property, where the old maintenance shed is located. Having this property will put us extremely close to being able to clean up the whole valley.”

Massey said he would like to extend Lee Street and make parcels available, including that which houses the maintenance shed, for sale to those who want to develop single-family homes.

“This is an investment in the future,” said Massey. “We don’t have funding right now, but this will give us time to plan so that future city leaders have options. This property cost a lot of money but we believe this was the right decision. It’s the right thing to do for the city of Linn.”

In other business, Linn Police Chief Mike Bickell was able to secure $28,474 in grant money for the department through the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT). The grant money is spread over four different projects.

One project, which was started on May 1 was part of MoDOT’s 2021 Youth Alcohol Enforcement Campaign.

“Overall, we had 41 stops in 29 hours of work,” Bickell said. “We picked up three drunk drivers, three minors in possession, one individual supplying alcohol to a minor, and one public urination. I believe the guys went out and worked pretty hard. We arrested three drunk drivers in less than a week.”

MoDOT covered all costs for the officers during the time of the campaign, including fringe benefits.

The department also received a grant for $6,160 to cover the cost of new radar equipment.

Bickell said the other two grants will not take effect until Oct. 1. One is for an e-ticketing system so that officers can produce tickets when they stop offenders.

“It will really help with the paperwork process and make things so much faster,” Bickell said. “The e-ticketing should take less than five minutes.”

With the last grant, the department has been approved for training and maintaining a child seat installation technician.

“I will say you are obviously hustling your butt off to try to pull so many grants,” Massey said. “That’s pretty impressive.”

There was a round of “good jobs” from all the aldermen.

The department also received a $2,000 donation from the MFA Corporation toward the purchase of Missouri Statewide Interoperability Network (MOSWIN) radios. Representatives from Columbia, Rolla, and Versailles recently came to town to visit with Bickell and Massey and present the donation.

* Linn is on its way to becoming a Purple Heart City. Massey read a proclamation declaring Linn’s “great admiration and the utmost gratitude for all the men and women who have selflessly served their country and this community in the Armed Services.”

The proclamation also noted that “citizens of the community have earned the Purple Heart Medal as a result of being wounded or killed while engaged in combat with the enemy force in an act of essential service.”

The Friday before Memorial Day will be officially designated as the day in Linn to remember and recognize veterans who are recipients of the Purple Heart Medal.

Massey was approached by the VFW Auxiliary and tasked with researching how the City could go about becoming a Purple Heart City.

Massey followed up with the Missouri State Commission on Purple Heart Cities and the proclamation was one of the first steps.

The commission will provide the city with signs and coordinate a presentation and work with MoDOT on the placement of the signs.

“I think it is a great idea,” Montgomery said.

* Aldermen approved a bill to increase the the 2020-21 city budget by $213,924 as follows by line item: administration ($59,128), license fee office ($2,034), police ($24,558), pool ($3,431), and grants ($124,773).

* Alderman approved monthly bills totaling $125,206.66.

* Linn has the following ending balances in their government fund accounts: general ($419,080.17), pool ($1,076.94), park ($86,694.64), police training ($1,142.18), general fund-improvement and equipment ($8,646.09), park -improvement and equipment ($15,519.74), and pool-improvement and equipment ($13,985.14).

* Linn has the following ending balances in their business-type fund accounts: water ($399,445.31), water replacement ($88,267.17), sewer ($299,991.41), sewer replacement ($59,985.30) and grants (-$65,317.76).

* The city has nine certificates of deposit totaling $1,085,015.78.

* The Linn License Fee office will be closed on May 29 and May 31, and City Hall will be closed on May 31 in observance of Memorial Day.

* The next meeting will be on June 15 at 5 p.m.

Editor’s Note: Remaining business will be presented next week.