Steelville Forward, a local community action group comprised of locally-based business owners, politicians and arts council members, held an Aug. 31 meeting at Rich’s Famous Burgers. The group provided updates on various infrastructure and beautification projects aimed at improving the quality of life in Steelville.

Mayor Jason Ward updated Steelville Forward members on street infrastructure and grant projects that are in the works with the help of Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC). Ward said that at a walking audit conducted in August with the help of MRPC and University of Missouri Extension, the group identified specific parts of Steelville’s public spaces that need improvement.

“We saw a lot of things that definitely need some TLC, areas where walking traffic, especially, is very difficult,” Ward said, adding that the city’s long-term goal is to extend the greenway trail, which begins by the Steelville City Park, to Hoppe Spring Park to connect with the walking trail.

According to Ward, MRPC helped Steelville write an active transportation plan that identifies and prioritizes specific areas of city infrastructure that officials wants to improve. On that list, according to Ward, is improving and expanding the greenway trail, adding crosswalks and expanding sidewalks on Main Street.

Ward said that having a specific improvement plan will help the city compete for grants when they become available.

“What the active transportation plan does is it gives us a priority list. So, if grant funds become valuable, what they like to do for a community is say ‘Okay, do you have a plan to use the grant money?’ and if you don’t, they say ‘Okay, see you later. We’ll go to a community that does,” Ward said. “So, this was helpful that we have that plan together. If those grant dollars become available, we can say ‘this is priority one, two and three.”

Steelville Forward members also sought updates on issues with the routine flooding of the Yadkin Creek.

Steelville officials are currently waiting on the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to complete a study of Yadkin Creek before they can receive permission to begin dredging and removing blockages that help contribute to the flooding.

“We can’t dredge until we have the final approval from DNR. The timetable on that is up to the state, unfortunately,” Ward said.

Beth Yount, owner of the Singing Butcher Shop, said that not only has flooding worsened, but, at times, it is threateningly close to her business.

“I’ve noticed since I bought my building, the flooding has gotten a lot worse. Last time it rained, it got all the way to my back concrete,” said Yount. “That’s high.”

Marilyn Lakaner, owner of The Main Deck, said Steelville residents should urge the DNR to issue permits quickly, before seasonal rains this spring make flooding worse.

“We can stay on (DNR) though,” Lakaner said. “You know, spring’s going to be here before we know it.”

Until they get approval to dredge the Yadkin Creek, Ward said the most flood mitigation work the city can do is routine clearing like weed-eating and brush removal.

Steelville Forward members also discussed plans for how the city will approach Christmas decorations closer to the holiday season. The group formed a Beautification Committee, chaired by Lakaner, with Yount, Christine Smaileys, Tamra Cape and Robin Adkins serving as members.

The beautification committee planned to help coordinate and encourage Christmas decorating with local businesses across Steelville.

“All it takes is white lights,” said Lakaner. “And if the city wants to do something across the street to make it even better, that would be great, too.”

There was also discussion about replacing the city’s municipal Christmas decorations with nicer, newer ones.

“I always told my wife, if I became mayor, one of the things I was going to do is try to get the city Christmas decorations. I would love to get those changed out. I’d really love to see nice bright lights,” Ward said.

Steelville Arts Council Member Tamra Cape said that she may be able to secure donated lights from a Steelville resident. Cape said that the Christmas lights hung from telephone poles, often used by municipalities, can be prohibitively expensive, and suggested that Steelville could source some second-hand.

“If we can find a community that was replacing their (Christmas lights), and they would donate or sell us cheaply, then that might be worth pursuing,” Cape said.

Steelville Arts Council and Steelville Forward Member Miles Yeary made progress with the Steelville Parks and Recreation Board on potential plans for securing a troll sculpture to be located somewhere in Steelville.

At the Aug. 24 Steelville City Council meeting, Parks and Recreation Director Kurt Merseal officially recommended that the board of aldermen “continue the conversation” about the troll statue and “hear them out.”

According to Merseal, Yeary pitched the idea for a troll statue to the Steelville Parks and Recreation Board with initially zero support, but by the end of the meeting “it was unanimous at the park board meeting that we ought to listen to these people.”

Merseal said that troll statues in the style of Danish sculptor Thomas Danbo, which Yeary is attempting to secure, have a national following that could help bring tourism to Steelville.

“Trolls are a big thing. They’ve been popping up for a long time all over the country, and there’s a following behind it. It fits our town and it fits the arts council,” Merseal said, adding a key factor in his support for hearing out the project is that securing the troll statue would be privately funded, and wouldn’t “cost the city a penny.”

Ward described himself as “troll-neutral,” but said that he is open to any ideas that draw people to Steelville. Ward added that the city council should be cautious about rushing to install a large statue made of wood or metal, which could later become a liability, or simply require difficult upkeep.

“It’s not outside the realm of thought, but there are those long term issues that we as a city deal with,” Ward said. “It’s great to be blessed with something, but then if it turns into ‘great, now we have to deal with this.”

Merseal agreed that the city should support the troll statue with caution.

“A gift today is a liability tomorrow if not done right,” Merseal said. “And you have to be careful.”