The opening of Fulton's spacious new recreational facility now appears to be less than two weeks away.
Fulton Mayor Lowe Cannell broke some news during Tuesday's Callaway County community update - hosted virtually by the Callaway Chamber of Commerce - when he revealed the city's Legends Rec-Plex will finally open to the public May 17.
Cannell explained the city likely wouldn't start charging admission to the Rec-Plex until June 1.
"We want to give everybody time to come in and see the new facility," Cannell said. "Hopefully then they'll want to join."
Cannell also noted during Tuesday's update the city will increase the rental fee for recycling carts from $1 to $2 a month starting July 1. He also emphasized city workers will not pick up recycling items if they are placed outside the cart.
City Director of Administration Bill Johnson refuted a rumor that recycling material is being dumped in Fulton's landfill.
"I can assure you that everything that is collected is going to the recycling center in Jefferson City," Johnson said. "We only take what we pick up in the trash trucks to the landfill."
Cannell mentioned the 10th Street project to replace curbing, sidewalk and storm sewers between Bluff and Vine streets was underway. He acknowledged the traffice inconvenience that the project was creating in the area, which includes Fulton Middle School.
"You tear it up to fix it," Cannell said. "Bear with us - we'll get it done as quickly and cleanly as possible."
Meanwhile, Callaway Electric Cooperative assistant manager Clint Smith announced that Callabyte - CEC's internet provider service - is partnering with VFW Post 2657 in Fulton to provide the fireworks for the city's annual Fourth of July show.
"Hopefully, we'll have another great Fourth of July celebration," Cannell said.
Holts Summit City Administrator Hanna Thomas provided an update on the city's sewer project, and said it is expected to be completed by the end of July.
Thomas pointed out that city workers will soon start connecting sewer lines for residents.
"The piping is in the ground, we've been testing the sewer lines and hopefully the mounds of dirt that everybody has been seeing will be gone," she said.
Thomas also announced Holts Summit's fireworks festival is being moved from its normal slot July 3 - which falls on Sunday this year - to 5 p.m. July 2.
She added that a local band, Usual Suspects, will supply the musical entertainment and Real Encounter - a BMX street bike group that performed on "America's Got Talent" in 2014 - will also perform.
Curt Warfield - the city manager for Kingdom City - said staff there have been focusing on their codification process for buildings, utilizing the International Building Code as a model.
"(April) has been a quick month - time has been flying by," Warfield said. "People are getting out and getting busy; things seem to be going pretty good. We're working quietly on things that people don't really see. We have a lot of plans coming down the pipeline."
Superintendents from three Callaway County school districts - Fulton Public Schools' Ty Crain, North Callaway R-1's Nicky Kemp and New Bloomfield R-3's Sarah Wisdom - each spoke briefly during Tuesday's update to note that the school year was close to wrapping up.
North Callaway's high school graduation is scheduled for May 27. Fulton's and New Bloomfield's graduations are set for May 28.