HERMANN – The city again will own two lots that were part of Hermann’s old landfill site near City Cemetery, parcels that can’t be used for much of anything, one City Hall official said.

At its July 27 session, the Board of Aldermen (BOA) adopted an ordinance approving an agreement to buy the two parcels from Heartland Legacy Development for $10,000. After the board’s brief second regular session of the month July 27, City Administrator Patricia Heaney explained that parcels were brought back under city ownership because there’s essentially nothing that can be done with the property because its part of the old landfill site.

In other matters, the city administrator updated the aldermen on a recent session of the Gasconade County Commission attended by a city government delegation that included a discussion with an official of Capital Quarries, which is blasting and crushing rock at its Saw Mill Road quarry. She explained the process used by the blasting company and how it is trying to minimize the blasting effects on area residents.

“They are trying to be a good neighbor,” Heaney said of the quarry operator.

Heaney said residents will notice a slight reduction in the natural gas portion of their utility bill this month. The 10.5-cent reduction is a result of the city finally paying off the big bill for natural gas the city incurred during last winter’s bitterly cold stretch because of a Polar Vortex that affected the Midwest.

Tammy Bruckerhoff, Tourism and Economic Development director, used part of her report to express thanks to area ambulance districts for sending units to Hermann during the visit by Union-Pacific’s Big Boy steam locomotive. “It was definitely hot; it was definitely busy,” Bruckerhoff said. The steam engine spent about 15 minutes in Riverfront Park, surrounding by a crowd estimated at a couple thousand people. How many more saw the locomotive from the Christopher S. Bond Bridge isn’t known.

As one of a handful of giant steam locomotives, the Big Boy was last in Hermann in 2021. An alderman asked Bruckerhoff when Big Boy might return. She said she didn’t know. But, she added, “We’re hoping it won’t be another five years,” she said.

The city administrator advised the aldermen that Hermann has been approved to receive grant funds for law enforcement. The $28,985 is part of the Blue Shield program championed by Gov. Mike Kehoe. The money will be allocated to the Hermann Police Department.

The Gasconade County Sheriff’s Department also received a Blue Shield grant of the same amount.

In other action, the BOA approved an annual service agreement with Motorola Solutions regarding the communications equipment used by the Police Department; approved the low bid of $32,965 from Water & Sewer Inc. for storm pipe; granted a Caterer’s Permit to Tin Mill Brewery for the Hermann Harvest Festival Sept. 26 at the Amphitheater and to Herman Farm Distillery and Lionheart Whiskey Company for the Missouri Bourbon Festival at Copper Mule Distillery

The board approved a Picnic Liquor License for St. George Parish and School for a dinner and auction set for Sept. 19; approved Special Event Applications by Hermann Pickelballers for a Pickelball Tournament in City Park on Sept. 12 and 13; Hermann Area District Hospital Auxiliary for the Scott and Lize Concert fund-raising event at the Amphitheater Sept. 5; and Michael Morgan for a temporary Halloween street closure of West 7th Street between Washington and Jefferson streets and Goethe Street between 7th and 8th streets near Herzog Mansion between 4:30-9 p.m. for pedestrian safety.