Residents press Sedalia council on stormwater ditches, possible landfill plans and senior-center funding

Three members of the public addressed the Sedalia City Council during the goodwill portion of the Sept. 16 meeting with concerns about stormwater ditch maintenance, possible landfill development near the city and funding for senior services.

Randy Templemeyer described erosion and overgrown ditches near Crown Hill Cemetery and nearby streets around 519 N. New York. Templemeyer said he tore ligaments in his ankle while mowing a ditch and urged the city to look for a safe maintenance solution, suggesting repurposing removed sidewalk concrete or targeted herbicide and mechanical mowing. "I'm not asking for a major rework... but I'd ask the city council to take a look at the photos and see if we can come up with a solution for it," Templemeyer said.

Derek Stanley, representing Presidio Environmental, told council he had obtained Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) notes through a Freedom of Information Act request that describe meetings with Canadian-based GFL about plans for two new landfills — one he said would be in the Muddy Creek floodplain and the other on tracting ground bordering Sedalia on three sides. Stanley urged the City of Sedalia to formally request information from the Pettis County Commission and said the county's use of a county trash tax may not align with RSMo §260.83; he asked the council to press the county for transparency and for any misdirected funds to be repaid to the Economic Development Board as the statute envisions.

Renee Vance, a longtime advocate for the Sedalia Senior Center, said Care Connection decided to close the Windsor Senior Center effective Oct. 17 because of funding and staffing problems. Vance said Pettis County has about 43,791 residents and that 24.67% are age 60 or older; she said the senior network serves 684 county clients and delivers more than 150 hot meals to homebound seniors. Vance urged the council and community to support fundraisers and local sponsors as the center seeks additional funds.

Council members did not debate or take action on the matters during the meeting; the public-comment remarks were recorded in the official minutes.

Provenance (selected evidence excerpts)

- Topic intro for stormwater comment: Randy Templemeyer presentation and description of injury while mowing a ditch (excerpt around s=3427.77–3601.60).

- Topic intro for landfill comment: Derek Stanley remarks about MDNR notes, GFL plans and county transparency (excerpt around s=3631.35–3748.06).

- Topic intro for senior-center funding: Renee Vance summary of Care Connection closure and client counts (excerpt around s=3768.42–3983.95).

Speakers (attributed in this article)

- Randy Templemeyer (resident/homeowner) — spoke about ditch erosion and safety concerns near Crown Hill Cemetery and neighborhood roads.

- Derek Stanley (Presidio Environmental representative) — represented an organization involved in local solid-waste planning and described FOIA-obtained documents regarding GFL MDNR meetings and landfill siting concerns.

- Renee Vance (senior-center advocate) — spoke about Care Connection's decision to close the Windsor Senior Center and the resulting funding gap for senior services in Pettis County.

Authorities referenced

- RSMo §260.83 — referenced by Derek Stanley in connection with the county trash tax and the disposition of funds (statute cited by speaker; transcript attributes the reference to the public speaker).

Clarifying details

- Crown Hill ditch maintenance: Templemeyer described erosion, bare-mud ditches and a previous ankle injury while mowing; he proposed limited, practical fixes rather than full rework.

- Landfill concerns: Stanley said MDNR notes reference GFL meetings discussing two proposed landfills (one in a Muddy Creek floodplain and another near Sedalia) and alleged the Pettis County Commission has not publicly discussed the matter with Sedalia officials.

- Senior services: Care Connection announced closure of Windsor Senior Center due to funding and staffing; Vance reported 684 county clients served and more than 150 hot meals provided daily to homebound seniors; Pettis County population stated as 43,791 with 24.67% aged 60 and older (figures cited by speaker).

Proper names

[{"name":"Crown Hill Cemetery","type":"location"},{"name":"Presidio Environmental","type":"business"},{"name":"GFL","type":"business"},{"name":"Missouri Department of Natural Resources","type":"agency"},{"name":"Care Connection","type":"organization"},{"name":"Windsor Senior Center","type":"facility"},{"name":"Pettis County","type":"location"}]

Searchable tags

["stormwater","ditches","landfill","GFL","MDNR","senior_center","Care_Connection","Pettis_County"]