The Auxvasse Board of Aldermen discussed readying the city for spring and multiple upcoming events for the city at its regular meeting Tuesday.
The city is starting to see what drainage issues will be affecting it, as public works is clearing ditches and checking water ways in preparation for spring, said City Supervisor Mike Bertschinger.
In other water-related news, the city's water project will be completed on schedule, weather permitting, Bertschinger said. The project will add fire hydrants, water lines and another well for city use. The project is designed to increase the volume for the city's water usage, but not the pressure, as much of the city's water infrastructure is not able to handle an increase in pressure, said Alderman Mike Bickel.
"It is a project that had to be done," Mayor Kevin Phares said. "For years and years the city's water systems have slowly deteriorated and there has been a lot of patch work, so it had to be done."
During the public comment section of the meeting, officials from Relay for Life and the Callaway Youth Expo both spoke to the council about their upcoming events.
The Relay volunteers introduced themselves and informed the council about their "Paint the Town Purple" contest before the main event. Linda Bosher, Relay official, said this contest aims to raise awareness about the Relay by asking local homes and businesses to decorate their windows with purple and display Relay signs in lawns across the city.
This contest starts on May 21 and ends two days before the Relay on June 5, she said. The winner will be announced before the Relay.
Mike Mustrove, of the Callaway Youth Expo, asked the council for permission to use the park pavilion for their event from July 8-11. This event in the past has attracted crowds of more then 1,000 people, Mustrove said. He added that it has livestock shows, home art exhibits and a pedal tractor pull and that the event normally attracts children and families who participate in 4H clubs, Future Farmers of America and the boy and girls scouts.
Aldermen told him it should not be a problem to secure the pavilion.
The city fire department has recently estimated that it raised around $3,000 for operating concessions at a John Michael Montgomery concert, with the band Slick Nickel as an opening act, said Alderman Terry Walker. More than 300 people attended the concert, Walker said.
Also, the council discussed preparations for the Auxvasse Picnic. This year will be the fifth for the picnic. Alderwoman Stephanie Leverett said the board is trying to create more of a carnival-like atmosphere for the event. She said the event will incorporate tickets and prizes, which she has already began collecting.
Leverett estimated that anywhere between 200 and 300 people attended the event last year. She said she wants it to be even bigger this year with more attending and more local businesses and organizations sponsoring the event. Phares added that a bigger event would need the support of more volunteers.
"We need people to volunteer to get a good park committee," Phares said during the discussion for the picnic. "There is so much we want to do, but we just need to get people to help."
The picnic will be from 2 - 4 p.m., on the third Sunday in September, Leverett said.