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Keokuk Sells Parking Spaces

The former Eagles building in Keokuk is being renovated for high-end apartments.
The former Eagles building in Keokuk is being renovated for high-end apartments.

The Keokuk City Council has agreed to sell roughly 4,000 square feet of space behind City Hall to a group affiliated with Main Street Keokuk for $750.

The land will allow for the construction of private garages for the high-end apartments proposed for the former Eagles building.

Mayor Tom Marion says the city will maintain control of a small portion of the land.

“We are still keeping, basically it says trading, but we are keeping three spaces,” says Marion, “at the end near 4th Street.  We want to maintain what they do not need for city parking spaces.”

The sale took place more than one year after the idea was first proposed to the city council.

Aldermen were previously hesitant due to concerns raised by a potential neighbor about parking and some cooling towers, but that was not brought up during debate.

Work has started to pick up in recent days at the former Eagles Building.  The project has received a combination of state and federal funding.

 

AQUATICS CENTER SALARIES

The managers of Keokuk’s Aquatics Center will make a little more money this summer.  The city council approved $500 raises for the manager and concessions manager.

The concessions manager will now receive $4,500 while the manager will receive $7,000.

There was some confusion over the increase for the manager of the aquatics center.

Public Works Director Mark Bousselot says last year’s contract was for $5,700, which does not include an additional $800 earned for opening and closing the pool.  He says that work has now been included in the contracted amount.

The raises are based on recommendations from the Keokuk Aquatic Center Commission.

Several aldermen questioned the raises with the pool failing to turn a profit last year, but the final vote was unanimous.

 

ROQUETTE ENCROACHMENT/REZONING

The city council has agreed to let Roquette America build a road on an unused portion of Railroad Street.  The street is on the city’s southwest side between F & H Street.

Mayor Tom Marion says the city will be paid for the encroachment, though he says the amount cannot be released at this time.

The agreement allows the land to return to city control if the new road is removed.

Meanwhile, the panel took the first step towards rezoning two acres of land at 2600 S. 7th Street to light industrial use.  The property, which includes several metal buildings, is currently zoned residential.

The rezoning is needed so the property can be purchased for future use.  A neighboring property is already zoned for light industrial use.

 

OTHER ACTION

- The city council heard a request to repave a couple of blocks of Sac Drive due to an increase in heavy-truck traffic with six businesses located nearby.

- The city council has set a public hearing for the sale of 2018 Missouri Street to God’s Way Christian Church for use as a single family homeless center.

Jason Parrott is a former reporter at Tri States Public Radio.