Missouri’s Hannibal. At Tuesday night’s Hannibal City Council meeting, Hannibal Mayor Darrell McCoy declared the city a Purple Heart City in observance of the nation’s oldest military decoration.
According to the declaration, the Purple Heart is given especially to US military personnel who have suffered injuries or given their lives in battle against an officially recognized enemy of the US.
General George Washington created the first Purple Heart as the Badge of Military Merit in 1782, and three soldiers received it. A century and a half later, General Douglas MacArthur reintroduced it in its current form.
The award has been given to nearly 2 million service members, including John F. Kennedy, who was wounded in 1943 while serving in the Navy and was awarded a Purple Heart. To date, no president has ever been awarded the medal save for him.
Norma Beedle and Kay Ellis of the Hannibal Heritage Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, which has been actively commemorating area veterans for 50 years, were given a framed statement.
The council decided to put two initiatives on the ballot for the next municipal election on November 4.
The first, referred to as Proposition 1, concerns a half-percent public safety tax. The tax’s proceeds would only be utilized to fund enhancements to public safety, including as facilities, equipment, and wages and benefits.
In light of the city’s historical funding inequalities for fire and police, the tax has been a recurrent issue of controversy on the council.Hannibal can impose the tax to fund the agencies after the Missouri State Legislature passed a bill in the spring, but voters must first accept it.
The second, called Proposition M, deals with the Executive Department’s appointment authority. The city manager would lose the power to nominate people to the Hannibal Board of Public Works, the Park Board, the Zoning Commission, and the Board of Adjustments if voters supported the change.
In a memo sent to the council on July 31, Dorian stated, “The mayor and I believe it is more appropriate for the elected mayor to make these appointments similar to the various other appointments laid out in the city charter.”
After a public hearing before the normal council meeting, an ordinance reclassifying 210 and 214 N. Fifth St. from a multiple-family zone to an e-commercial zone was given a first reading.
The property’s owners, Donald Metcalf and Nora Creason, intend to turn it into a tea garden and riverboat tour destination if the council gives its final clearance at its upcoming meeting.
In order to conduct environmental studies, the Marion-Ralls Regional Port Authority (MRRPA) and the City of Hannibal established an access agreement that would grant MRRPA access to the Federal Building, located at 600 Broadway, and the former St. Elizabeth Hospital, located at 109 Virginia St.
According to a report sent to the council on August 4 by Interim City Manager Andy Dorian, the evaluations are required for the impending demolition of St. Elizabeth as well as any future sale or lease of the Federal Building.
As mandated by the state every two years, the council also enacted an ordinance to reaffirm and certify the city’s process for revealing potential conflicts of interest and substantial interest for specific municipal officials and workers.
Along with the municipal clerk, city manager, and full-time general counsel, the mayor and council members are required to declare conflicts of interest on the record, disqualify themselves from voting on issues pertaining to personal interests, and disclose a number of important transactions. The Missouri Ethics Commission’s guidelines were initially approved by the Hannibal City Council in 1991.
In order to bring the city’s municipal code more closely in line with state legislation, the council also authorized a reform pertaining to the removal of trash, weeds, and other nuisances.
According to the revision, the owners and occupants of properties deemed to be in violation of the city code must be notified at least ten days in advance of the public hearing that will be held at Hannibal City Hall with the city manager, building inspector, or another official designated by the city manager to rule on nuisance violations.
In the event that the meeting results in a nuisance declaration, the infraction must be remedied within five days, failing which the city will pursue any legal recourse to get rid of the trash or weeds and will certify the expenses to the city clerk so that a special lean can be placed on the property to pay for it.
In order to establish the use of drones at the Hannibal Police Department (HPD) for solely governmental reasons, the council authorized a resolution to execute a declaration to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
In a report given to the council on August 14, Eric Graham, the city’s IT director and a member of the HPD drone team, stated that this action is necessary to guarantee adherence to federal standards and to preserve openness in the operation of our public aircraft.
Graham clarified that in order for the HPD to obtain an authorization certificate from the FAA, which would increase the drone’s operating range, the declaration is required.
Furthermore, the council:
- Approved the reappointment of Scott Ehrhardt to the Hannibal Convention and Visitors Bureau, for a term to expire September 2030
- Approved a request for street closure from Michael Fuller on behalf of Hannibal High School for the 76th Annual Band Day Parade, to take place from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20
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Approved a request for street closure and alcohol sales from
Tammy Riley, who ran against April Azotea in the spring for the Second Ward seat on the council
, for the Big River Steampunk Festival, to take place from 8 a.m. Aug. 29 to 5 p.m. Sept. 1.
- Approved the purchase of a used 2018 Altec/Ford F550 bucket truck with approximately 85,500 miles and a 45 foot bucket height from AltecNUECO in the amount of $82,000 for the Hannibal Parks and Recreation Department to replace their current truck, which is 23 years old and has suffered significant mechanical issues
- Approved the sale of city-owned property located at 1006 Valley to Thomas Muhlbach in the amount of $600
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Approved a request from City Collector Janice Magruder to set a public hearing at 5:15 p.m. on Aug. 27 for the purpose of discussing the 2025
ad valorem property tax
rates for the city s General, Police and Fire Retirement and Library funds
- Approved the purchase of five Marion County Trustee properties at a cost of $40 each: 1912-14 Gordon St.; 1623 Grace St.; 711 Walnut St.; 1213 Church St.; and 2515 Hope St.
As the council entered its thirteenth closed session of the year, the meeting came to an end. According to the meeting agenda, the topics included sealed bids, pending litigation, a real estate deal, and related papers.
The municipal website has a copy of the complete agenda packet for the council meeting on August 19. The next meeting is scheduled for September 2 at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers of Hannibal City Hall.
