The city of Warrenton has finalized the purchase of property just east of the post office and will likely raze the single-family residence in the near future. The city paid $60,000 for the lot at 505 E. Booneslick. Last month when Mayor Greg Costello announced the pending purchase, he said the city intended to use it for parking to ease a shortage around the post office. He also said the property could be the future site of a visitors center. The small parking lot and congestion around the post office has caused concerns for city officials and residents for many years. The post office has only a few parking spaces on its lot on the east side of the facility. Customers also park along Main Street to go into the post office but that was a cause for safety concerns when vehicles’ doors open as vehicles go by. Costello previously said he would like to see the city restrict parking on Main Street in front of the post office. City to Proceed With Street Repairs City crews will proceed with repairing several streets following approval by aldermen at the July 19 meeting. Crews will patch areas on Armory Road, Fairlane Circle, Steinhagen, McKinley and Dahlgren. Asphalt overlay projects will be performed on Cherry Lane and First Street. The estimated cost for the street repairs is $88,500. Aldermen passed the recommended street repairs by a 6-0 vote. In Other News • Aldermen followed the recommendation of Mayor Costello and appointed Elmer Klump and Mike Kendall to three-year terms on the park board. The appointments were approved by a 5-0 vote. Ward 2 Alderman Beth Kendall abstained since Mike Kendall is her husband. Costello also announced there is one vacancy on the park board since Julie Schaumberg declined to be reappointed. • The city awarded its gasoline bid to Thoele, Inc., and its diesel fuel bid to Warrenton Oil Company. The city will be able to purchase gasoline for 6 cents less than the posted pump pricing. The board agreed to continue using Warrenton Oil for diesel fuel though its bid, 10 cents above the Opis St. Louis average, was 2 cents higher than MFA Oil Company’s low bid. City officials said Warrenton Oil had been helpful in the past, specifically assisting the city during emergency situations. • The city extended its moratorium on the enforcement of real estate and banner sign size limitations within the C-1, C-2, C-3 and C-4 zoning districts by another 180 days. The previous moratorium expired this month. Previously, real estate signs could be no larger than 32 square feet, while banner signs were restricted to 24 square feet. • The board awarded its rock bid to Bobby Hoelscher Trucking, the lowest of three bids submitted based on the amount of rock purchased within the past year. Other bids were received from Schiermeier Quarry and Bedrock Quarry. • Soccer officials will be paid more after aldermen followed a recommendation from Recreation Director Jenny Hoffmann to bump up their pay. The new fee is expected to cost the city $520 more compared to last year. The referees’ payscale is as follows: 3v3, U5 and U6, one referee, $9 per game; U8, one referee, $12 per game; U10 and U12, one referee, $15 per game and one assistant referee, $14 per game; and U14, one referee, $16 per game, two assistant referees, $15 per game. • Water meters for the next year will cost the city $2.46 more compared to past years, after aldermen voted 6-0 to continue to purchase the meters from Schulte Supply. A residential meter will cost the city $175.90. The old price was $173.44. Public Works Director Rob Hamlin noted Schulte Supply had not increased the charge for water meters for the past three years. • Alderman awarded a bid to J.T. McMullin Enterprises for excavation and labor for replacing water and sewer lines at Big Creek crossing on the South Service Road. The winning bid was $12,000. The other bid submitted for the project was from Rick Starks Excavating ($15,800). The city will provide materials for the project, estimated to cost $26,330 overall. • The city will purchase uniform pants for employees from G&K Services for $1,627, though it declined awarding a bid for shirts. The only other pant bid was submitted by Cintas for $1,893.80. The shirt bids — submitted by B-Sharp Screen Printing and Cintas — included pricing for polos double of what the city is currently paying. • The city will continue to use Warrenton Tire and Muffler for servicing the city’s vehicles after awarding a bid for auto repair. City officials said the bid specifications were submitted to six local companies, but no other bids were received. • The board scheduled two work sessions, with the first slated to be held Monday, Aug. 8, with the park board. The meeting, which has been canceled twice, will begin at 6:30 p.m. The board is expected to meet with Warrenton fire district officials Thursday, Aug. 11, at 6 p.m. • Alderman adopted an updated ordinance on the unlawful use of weapons to reflect changes made to state law.