Good morning, Waynesville! I want to share some updates on what's happening in our city.
First of all, a big thank you to Lone Oak Printing and Joann Goethe, the event organizers, for the amazing work on Christmas on the Square. I believe there were many more vendors this year, and it was great seeing everyone there. I want to thank everybody who came out to make it possible and, of course, the residents who came out to support their efforts.
Starting Dec. 2, the City of Waynesville officially took over wastewater service operations from Pulaski County Sewer District #1. To address any questions or concerns, the Waynesville City Council will hold an open forum during its regular meeting 5 p.m. on Dec. 19.
The city is having its annual Christmas party Dec. 20 and will only be open for half the day. Due to the event being offsite, the office will be open from 8-11:30 a.m.
The city of Waynesville will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for our employees. We will reopen 8 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 26.
The city will also be closed on Jan. 1, 2025, during the New Year holiday. Please take note and share these dates with all you know. We need your help sharing the information.
I also want to remind everyone of this great resource coming the second week of January: a tax center. It will open on Jan. 15, 2025, at 201 North St., 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. The location is the old police department next to Waynesville's Roubidoux Park. This grant-funded opportunity offers free services to military retirees, DOD retirees, civilian non-military retirees, and Gold Star families. Please spread the word. We will continue to share information to ensure everyone knows about it, and we are very excited to have this resource in our community.
We also had a project with our stump dump that included modifications and erecting a coded entry into the facility to give our citizens better access. The fence is down, and they're making adjustments. I'll update you on the progress, including the completion date and the operation process. Hopefully, the upgrade will be finished in the next 60 to 90 days, and we will see even more construction in that area.
I also want to remind everyone that we are working on a website update. The URL will stay the same, but you'll see a new design. You will also have the option to download an app. We're getting closer to finishing this project, and it should be live by the start of the new year.
To help with our communication campaign, we will also put up a marquee at the intersection of Highway 17 and Route 66. That should happen sometime next year, in about six months. This upgrade will allow us to control and share information directly from City Hall. We'll be able to keep our residents and visitors updated on detours, events and other important news. This is another way we are working to improve communication in many ways.
Thank you for the overwhelming support for the city podcast. Please continue to share it and send us your emails of encouragement. We truly appreciate it. It's unbelievable how much support we have throughout the city. Working for and supporting the City of Waynesville and our amazing community is an honor. I'm very proud and happy to serve here.
We are also looking for volunteers interested in joining a historical preservation committee. This committee will capture and document the history of our city and community. I think this is so important. Our city seal says we are "preserving the past and planning for the future." The past is more than just 50 years ago, it's yesterday and every day. History is made daily, and we want to preserve it. If you are interested in being part of this committee, please email me at mayor@waynesvillemo.org.
We also have an exciting update on the electric signal box at the corner of Route 66 and North Benton Street in front of Lone Oak Printing. We'll soon have a decorative wrap installed there highlighting local historical designs. The design was created by Lone Oak Printing and Tim Berry's team, and we are excited to showcase it. This will create a new stopping point for those traveling through our city, and we hope it encourages visitors to shop locally. This is another way to make our community unique, teach others about our history, and support our local businesses. The installation is weather-dependent, but we hope it will be completed in the next 60 days.
Finally, the next time I write to you, we will be enjoying our Christmas holiday. On the city's behalf, we wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
