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School district committed to helping fund Flintlock Flyover
Total local cost around $7 million for $24 million project
By: Natalie Shelton
The Liberty school district is committed to providing its portion of the approximately $7 million local entities must pay to make the Flintlock Flyover project a reality, Superintendent Scott Taveau told those gathered at a joint City Council and Board of Education meeting last week.
“Our dog in the fight is transporting our kids safely to and from school,” Taveau said. “We’re putting money aside for a commitment. We are committed to see this to completion.”
The federal government has earmarked $19.2 million for the project, which will cost a total of about $24 million. The remaining portion is expected to be shared equally among the city of Liberty, the Liberty School District and the Shoal Creek tax-increment-financing project.
The three local entities have not yet signed an intergovernmental agreement, said Steve Hansen, director of public works.
“We’ll need to negotiate an intergovernmental agreement and approve a funding agreement with MoDOT a year before bidding can occur,” he said. Bidding is expected in 2009.
Hansen said the project was expected to be completed in 2011.
In other business at the joint meeting, officials said they planned to collaborate by offering the school district’s technical expertise to help the city expand its cable channel, Channel 2, and to offer the school’s award-winning Channel 18 as a resource to the city to air City Council meetings, broadcasts of parks and recreation department events and the like.
“We need to make those channels valuable and indispensable,” said Jim Dunn, the district’s director of communication services.
The future of the two channels became uncertain after the Missouri legislature passed Senate Bill 284 in March, which would allow cable companies to be free of their franchise agreements with cities. It also would allow both phone and cable companies to receive a state-issued franchise that would allow them to offer video services anywhere in Missouri.
The bill alters the provisions for public education or government channels, known as PEG channels. After 2009, cable companies will have much more leeway to restrict PEG channels.
Also in other business, Chris Deal, parks and recreation director, said the parks and recreation department was forming a new “in-between” league in addition to recreational and competitive leagues. He also said the department was working to form a co-ed volleyball program that would launch in September for third- through eighth-graders.
Staff writer Natalie Shelton covers Liberty schools. She can be reached at 781-4941 or nshelton@npgco.com.
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“Our dog in the fight is transporting our kids safely to and from school,” Taveau said. “We’re putting money aside for a commitment. We are committed to see this to completion.”
The federal government has earmarked $19.2 million for the project, which will cost a total of about $24 million. The remaining portion is expected to be shared equally among the city of Liberty, the Liberty School District and the Shoal Creek tax-increment-financing project.
The three local entities have not yet signed an intergovernmental agreement, said Steve Hansen, director of public works.
“We’ll need to negotiate an intergovernmental agreement and approve a funding agreement with MoDOT a year before bidding can occur,” he said. Bidding is expected in 2009.
Hansen said the project was expected to be completed in 2011.
In other business at the joint meeting, officials said they planned to collaborate by offering the school district’s technical expertise to help the city expand its cable channel, Channel 2, and to offer the school’s award-winning Channel 18 as a resource to the city to air City Council meetings, broadcasts of parks and recreation department events and the like.
“We need to make those channels valuable and indispensable,” said Jim Dunn, the district’s director of communication services.
The future of the two channels became uncertain after the Missouri legislature passed Senate Bill 284 in March, which would allow cable companies to be free of their franchise agreements with cities. It also would allow both phone and cable companies to receive a state-issued franchise that would allow them to offer video services anywhere in Missouri.
The bill alters the provisions for public education or government channels, known as PEG channels. After 2009, cable companies will have much more leeway to restrict PEG channels.
Also in other business, Chris Deal, parks and recreation director, said the parks and recreation department was forming a new “in-between” league in addition to recreational and competitive leagues. He also said the department was working to form a co-ed volleyball program that would launch in September for third- through eighth-graders.
Staff writer Natalie Shelton covers Liberty schools. She can be reached at 781-4941 or nshelton@npgco.com.