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Council advances airport lease and construction bids, fire station repairs and first-responder recognition to voting session
Summary
Poplar Bluff's council moved several infrastructure and administrative items to its April 20 voting session: (1) award recommendation for a 93‑acre farmland lease at Poplar Bluff Regional Business Airport (recommended bid $240/acre/year), (2) taxiway and foundation work for a two‑bay box hangar (low bid $1,043,000; 95% grant funded), (3) Fire Station No. 3 tornado repairs (FEMA funds ~$14,800; bid $14,770), and (4) a resolution recognizing 9‑1‑1 telecommunicators as first responders.
At its April 6 workshop meeting the Poplar Bluff City Council advanced multiple operational and infrastructure items to the April 20 voting session.
City Manager Andrew Phelps recommended awarding the 93‑acre farmland lease at Poplar Bluff Regional Business Airport to Drew Murphy of Malden, Missouri, for a bid of $240 per acre per year, noting that the successful bid was roughly double other offers. "The winning bid that we're recommending came from Mr. Drew Murphy out of Malden, Missouri," Phelps said.
For construction of a two‑bay box hangar taxiway and approach, staff reported three bids and recommended RL Persons Inc. of Poplar Bluff as the low bidder at $1,043,000, a figure below the engineer's estimate. Grant funds will cover 95 percent of the project cost; private funds will pay for the hangar structures. An airport manager present in the audience was made available for technical questions.
Phelps said Fire Station No. 3 on Highway 53 sustained tornado damage last year. The city received about $14,800 from FEMA to cover repairs, and the sole bid from Clinton Construction was $14,770. Councilors voted to move the repair contract to the April 20 voting session for final award.
Phelps also briefed councilors on a staff recommendation to designate Poplar Bluff Police Department 9‑1‑1 telecommunicators as first responders, expanding access to mental‑health resources and retirement provisions. The item was moved to the April 20 voting session for formal action.
Each of these items passed motions at the workshop stage to be considered at the formal April 20 voting session; staff will prepare contract documents, grant paperwork and any technical clarifications required for final council action.
