————————————————————————————————————————————–
By Pauline Masson
Residents who attended the May 3 board of aldermen meeting were introduced to a new community service organization, the Pacific Police Officers Support Fund (PPOSF).
Darin Skaggs and Beth Bowers, president and vice president of the organization, spoke to city officials about the formation of the fund.
It is styled after the Eureka Police Officers Support Fund, which supports Eureka officers and their families in times of crisis or disaster.
Skaggs noted that the organization also gives members of the community an opportunity to join together in fellowship and service as it works to support the overall wellbeing of employees of the Pacific Police Department.
Joining Skaggs and Bowers as officers of the PPOSF are Vicky Skaggs, secretary; Ashley Ogle, treasurer, Sara Summers, IT and Peter Rohrich, director.
In the remainder of the meeting, for her first city meeting after being seated April, 19, Mayor Heather Filley placed her confidence in the past administration by reappointing three officials and extending their terms and reappointing a list of board and committee members.
Filley read a list of twelve appointments:
City Administrator Steve Roth and City Attorney Bob Jones, were reappointed to their positions with their terms tied to that of the mayor, which expires in 2026.
Linda Bruns, six-term member of the planning and zoning commission (P&Z) was reappointed to a seventh term, to expire in 2026.
Donna Brocato was re-appointed to P&Z with a term to expire in 2026.
Kalie Keenum, a newcomer to the city, the only newcomer in the group, was appointed to the Park Board with a term to expire in 2025.
Dennis Oliver and Donna Graham were reappointed to the Meramec Valley Historical Society with terms to expire in 2025.
Stephen Flannery had the distinction of being appointed to two committees. He was reappointed to the Industrial Development Committee with a term to expire in 2027 and was appointed to P&Z with a term to expire in 2023.
Filley also named her aldermanic committees. Aldermen Gregg Rahn, Scott Lesch and Jerry Eversmeyer will serve on the operations committee. Andy Nemeth, James Cleeve and Rick Presley will serve on the administrative committee.
Three city officials, including Filley, Roth, and Kim Barfield, along with businessman and property owner Billy Eckelkamp were appointed to the board of the West Osage Community Improvement District (CID).
With alderman Jerry Eversmeyer absent and James Cleeve participating in the meeting on Zoom, the appointments were unanimously approved by the remaining aldermen.
The next thing the new mayor will tackle is the budget, which will be the biggest in city history, according to Steve Roth. A special meeting to review the budget was set for Monday, May 23.
It should be noted that in keeping with her confidence in past service, the mayor was at her usual place in the kitchen window serving breakfasts for the Pacific Eagles first Sunday of the month breakfast on May 1.
