By Tim SchmidtRecord Managing EditorWarrenton aldermen last month upheld a decision to prohibit a licensed day care from operating in a residential area.Three separate votes were made related to the proposal, which included changes to the city’s code. The board voted 4-2 on all three motions to reject the idea at the March 17 meeting.Aldermen Karen Casserly, Gary Auch, Eric Schleuter and John Clark voted against the day care proposal, while Aldermen Toni Hawley and Jim Dreyer supported it.All six members of the planning and zoning commissions in attendance at their March 5 meeting opposed the day care proposal.Tiffany and Lacey Rebura, the owners of Little Sprouts Child Care, Inc., had approached the city about amending the city code to allow the facility to operate in a residential home on Richmond Drive. The owners were applying for a state license so they would be approved to watch up to 10 non-related children.Currently, the city allows up to four non-related children to be watched in a residential home without being considered a day care facility.Aldermen who opposed the measure said they did not disapprove of the child care business, but preferred that it was not located in a residential area. Some of the concerns focused on how the business’s presence may affect neighbors and the increase of traffic in a residential neighborhood.Hawley, meanwhile, felt there was a need for more facilities in the city.Jack Hanff, zoning officer/building commissioner, said city staff was working with the day care owners to identify other vacant spaces in the city to house the business.In other news• The city announced it was considering switching its retirement plan to the Missouri Local Government Employees Retirement System, or better known as LAGERS. As part of the plan, the city is required to give public notification for 45 days. The additional cost to the city is expected to be $32,350, which includes expenses to cover 100 percent of an employee’s service prior to the city participating in the LAGERS program.• Rick Gastorf Jr. was appointed to the IDA Board and will serve a six-year term, while Kevin Gerloff was appointed to the planning and zoning commission for a four-year term. Both appointments were unanimously approved by aldermen.• Gary Barnes was hired as a part-time animal control officer, effective March 4. He will be paid $10 an hour. The new hire was approved by a 6-0 vote.• The city’s annual workers’ compensation insurance premium will be $94,682 effective April 1. The premium increased 27 percent, or $20,413, compared to last year. Aldermen voted 6-0 to renew the insurance with Missouri Rural Trust.City officials said the increase was largely based on three claims, two of which were not the fault of the city.• A bid for grass seed was awarded to Pennington Seed, Inc., of Madison, Ga., for $5,600. It was the lowest of five bids received. Other bids were submitted by MFA, Truesdale ($7,520), Farmers Elevator, Hawk Point ($7,520), John Deere Landscape, Cleveland, Ohio ($8,200) and John Deere Landscapes, Chesterfield ($8,504.48).• O’Fallon Sewer Service, of O’Fallon, was awarded the bid for portable toilet units for $2,735. Two other bids were received from B&J Septic Pumping, Silex ($2,736) and R&R Sanitation, St. Peters ($3,723).• A revised ordinance related to the burning of garbage and yard waste was unanimously approved. The new regulations provide better clarity that open burning is allowed at a private residence, though the fire can be extinguished if it is determined to be a problem or a nuisance.• A package liquor license was granted for Walgreens, located at 701 N. Highway 47.City of Warrenton