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Advance mayor takes leave of absence
The Monday, Nov. 17, 2014 board of Aldermen meeting in Advance took a somber note, when Mayor Pete Ritter offered to step down, due to health issues.
"I'm going to have cancer the rest of my life," Ritter told the aldermen and several city employees who were present at the meeting. "If you want me to step down, so you can bring someone else in here, I'm ready to do it. Otherwise, I can take a leave of absence, until I can get all these tests run."
Aldermen were unanimous in requesting that the mayor follow the second option.
"I'll do anything I can to ease your load," said Mayor Pro Tem Wayne Page.
Page will step up to conduct the monthly meetings, when Mayor Ritter cannot be there, and he will have the authority to see that checks are signed.
"The city pretty well runs itself," said Ritter. "These two girls (Tina Bailey and Linda Weisenborn) can handle things in the office, and I've asked Brock ( Brock Cato, maintenance supervisor) here tonight to give him the power to fix things that he sees that need to be fixed."
"I was going to refile for mayor in April, but we'll have to see what the road has in store," Ritter added. He asked for prayers for his family during this difficult time.
Brock Cato suggested that all calls about city business be directed to city hall (722-3156) and not be taken to the mayor's home. Everyone agreed that this was a good idea.
In other matters, the mayor revealed that the drug dog who used to work for the chief of police in Puxico is out of a job, since the chief retired. Ritter was approached to see if Advance wants to purchase the 4-year-old dog.
Aldermen discussed the issue with reserve officer Austin Kight, who was present for the Monday meeting. Officer Kight is willing to work with the dog and has a place in the country to keep him. He is also willing to do the certification and training necessary.
Mayor Ritter expressed his concerns with the purchase--what if the dog got loose and bit someone, who would feed him and take care of him, and was he really necessary?
Officer Kight said he had always wanted to work with a dog and was on call 24/7, anyway. He pointed out that the dog could be used to check vehicles suspected of coming through town with drugs. In such cases, it would eliminate the need to get a search warrant for the suspected drug carriers.
Aldermen asked the mayor for his recommendation, and he said he didn't think the purchase was necessary. The council agreed to "put it on the back burner" and wait until the next meeting to make a decision.
"Maybe Stoddard County would like to buy the dog," the mayor said. It was reported that the county sheriff's drug dog had died.
In the next order of business, the council continued the tradition of waving city license fees for new businesses.
In the maintenance report, Cato explained that the city has been unable to purchase salt for the streets. There is a nation-wide shortage, because of the wide-spread winter weather.
The mayor complimented the maintenance department for getting the Santa Christmas lights up on the water tower.
Aldermen also decided to give the same Christmas bonus to employees as last year. Full-time workers will receive $200.
It was also decided not to have a meeting in December, so the next regular Advance Board of Aldermen meeting will be on the third Monday of January at 6 p.m.
Present for the meeting were aldermen Carol Blanton, Tom Schmidt, Wayne Page, and Randy Schrader. Also present were city employees Brock Cato, Advance Fire Chief Kelly Hindman, and reserve officer Austin Kight, as well as J.D. braswell and the NSC reporter.