City council votes to support proposed senior apartment complex project

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by Mark Cheffey

The Palmyra City Council Thursday gave its support for a proposed senior apartment complex and approved emergency funding to replace the aeration system for the city’s sewage treatment during Thursday’s regular meeting.

In other, business, the council approved an engineering contract for a road design project as well as a master service agreement for a utility rate study.

After three previous tries failed, the council, again lent its support for a proposed 36-unit senior apartment complex  that, if it receives state approval, would be built behind the new Hannibal National Bank facility north of the courthouse square.

Representatives from Turnberry Developers, LLC, a Kansas City firm, asked for and received a letter of support from the council to be used in the application process to receive project approval from the Missouri Housing Development Council.

Scott Rosemann, told the council if approval comes through in late December, the project, for the three-story complex could be completed in 13 months.

Rosemann showed the layout and an artiest rendering of the complex which would extend from Main Street to Dickerson on an acre of property owned by Ed Dent.

He said the Panther Crossing development apartment units would be offered to seniors age 55 and older at varying income levels offering “fully independent living and convenient access to local amenities in Palmyra.

Units will include washer and dryer hookups and all electric energy star appliances.

A 9,000-square-foot common area will have an on-site management office, business center, fitness center, community laundry facilities and a common room with full kitchen.

Despite past failures for similar projects to get approval, Rosemann, said  “we’re very optimistic” it will get the green light this time.

“We hope this goes through,” said Mayor Rusty Adrian.

The council also voted 5-0 in favor of arranging emergency funding to fix a equipment failure at the city’s sewage treatment plant.

One of two ditch rotor aerattors failed recently, leaving the plant in danger of having to be shut down if the other one fails.

BPW Superintendent Brent Abell said the plant continues to meet Department of Natural Resources standards especially as the cooler months approach.

However, the remaining working rotor is 40 years old, like the one that failed, meaning it, too, could fail at any time.

It was also recommended by Mark Bross, an engineer with Klingner & Associates the city consider moving ahead and replacing the entire rotor aerator system with a newer, more efficient defused system.

While the diffused system costs more, Bross said it would be included in plans to expand the sewage treatment facility anyway, so it would be better to put one in now rather than pay to fix the current one only to replace it later.

After some discussion, the council voted in favor of a funding package for the diffused aerator system costing $750,000 that combined $300,000 cash from the BPW, with city and American Rescue Plan Act funding.

The council also voted 5-0 to approve a contract with Klingner & Associates for design of an initial phase of road projects that could eventually receive funding by MoDOT.

The $22,500 cost would be paid for through the city’s General Revenue fund.

The vote was 5-0 in favor of a master service agreement for a utility rate study to be completed by the Missouri Public Utility Association Resource Services Corporation.

Rate studies are used to determine if utility rates charged to customers are continuing to cover costs of supplying the utilities.