Steelville Board of Aldermen certified the April 7 municipal election results during its April 20 meeting. Mayor Duane DeRennaux presided over his first meeting after taking the oath of office. DeRennaux ousted former Mayor Terry Beckham with 120 votes to Beckham’s 50 votes.

Ward 1 Alderman Curtis Crouch and Ward 2 Alderman Lula Patterson were each reelected to a term of two years with 47 and 76 votes, respectively. Chief of Police Mike Sherman was reelected as City Marshal with 139 votes.

DeRennaux reappointed Jamey Griffith as City Clerk and City Collector, Regina Slovensky as Finance Officer and City Treasurer, Brooks Kenagy as City Attorney, Kristopher Crews as City Prosecutor and Jason Evans as Building Inspector and Floodplain Administrator.

Patterson and Ward 2 Alderman Jason Ward were appointed to Police and Employees, Ward 1 Alderman Bill Bennett and Ward were appointed to Streets and Utilities, Patterson and Crouch were appointed to Parks and Recreation and Bennett and Crouch were appointed to the Budget Committee.

Before DeRennaux took over the seat, Beckham was recognized for his 16 years of service to the city. Ward presented him with a proclamation celebrating his leadership, along with a plaque.

“Mayor Beckham has fostered a collaborative environment, working with the City Council, staff, and community partners to improve the quality of life for all residents,” Ward’s proclamation reads.

Sherman also thanked Beckham for his service to the community.

“When you first became mayor, you came to my office and you sat there and we talked for well over an hour,” he said. “I never forgot that. It meant a lot to me and my department that you were willing to listen to our concerns. It made us feel appreciated, and a lot of times we don’t feel appreciated.”

In other news, Evans reported that he, DeRennaux and Crouch met with representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of Natural Resources to discuss what the city is and isn’t allowed to do when it comes to cleaning up the Yadkin Creek.

“What we’ve found out, which we were told before we couldn’t do, is that we can cut all the vegetation that we want, as long as we don’t disturb the dirt below it,” he said. “So we can cut it off, flush with the ground, and (take) it out of there. We have a standing nationwide permit to do that.”

He also said no permit is needed to remove the low water bridge on Third Street and plans to get bids for the cost of taking it out. 

“ The county commissioner is in favor of that, and the sheriff is also in favor of that, and so that might be a topic of conversation very soon,” Evans said. “In the meantime, it does open up a lot of areas for us to be able to clean and maintain.” 

“Part of the purpose of the meeting was working towards…(getting) the county authorized to mine gravel out of the creek so that they can have a continuous operation,” Crouch added. “So it wouldn’t be an annual clean out, it would just (be continuous) once we get rolling. And that’s what we’re working on.”

Evans also presented the aldermen with an update about infrastructure problems in the Hoppe Spring Park area due to a retaining wall not holding water anymore.

The old clay line near the spillway isn’t working properly. City crews spent hours trying to clear a possible clog, but found no visible blockage. The pipe narrows from two feet wide to about 16 inches near the spillway and is causing water to back up and overflow.

A culvert pipe east of the gate has also collapsed under the road, causing water to drain underneath the road instead of through the pipe. This is weakening the roadway and could cause it to cave in, Evans said.

A road closure is expected on the block of Church Street that lies in front of Hoppe Spring Park. The city is coordinating with the schools to plan an alternate pick up and drop off spot for the one school bus route that will be impacted.

Repairs could cost $12,000 to $15,000 and are expected to take city crews about a week and a half.