City regulations amended during Council meeting

The Maryville City Council spent just 30 minutes discussing various changes to yard space and usage regulations at the April 24 meeting.

Assistant City Manager Ryan Heiland discussed the changes that would be happening with yard accessories, like buildings and portable storage containers.

“Really the only change with that is increasing the height of an accessory building allowed from 15 feet to 20 feet,” Heiland said. “... This will not have a huge impact visually, but it will be easier for our staff as well as the builders so come in underneath that 20-foot height limit on that.”

The change was made because the builders were commonly producing yard accessories that were around 17 feet tall.

There is now a limit of two yard accessories that are allowed on a lot, and the size is limited to 1,500 square feet or not more than 10% of the lot size. If someone had a larger property and wanted more than two yard accessories, there will be a process they can go through to try and have more —

Crime Log

for the week of April 27

Northwest Missouri State University

Police Department

April 21

There is a closed investigation for a fire alarm in Perrin Hall.

April 20

There is a closed investigation for harassment in Student Support Services.

April 19

There is a closed investigation for a fire alarm in Perrin Hall. There is an open investigation for property damage in Parking Lot 42. There is a closed investigation for a fire alarm in Hudson Hall.

April 18

There was an accident between Logan Bogle, 21, and Gianna Weber, 19, in Parking Lot 42. There is a closed investigation for a fire alarm in Dieterich Hall

Maryville Department of Public Safety

April 19

There is an ongoing investigation for trespassing on the 1100 block of North Main Street.

April 17

There was a summons issued to Gregory L. Brumley II, 45, for not having a valid driver’s license and excessive acceleration on the 100 block of South Main Street.

There was an accident between Jarnik Busses Inc. and Maryville RII School District on the 1500 block of South Munn Avenue.

There was an accident between Chloe A. Saenz, 21, and Micheal S. Butterfield on the 300 block of West First Street.

April 15 that is still being finalized. Portable storage containers will require a temporary building permit with no more than one per lot at $15.

There was an accident between Emily C. Niell, 26, Sean Hastings, 71, and Makenzie Cobb, 28, on the 800 block of South Main Street. Niell was issued a citation for careless and imprudent driving.

There was an accident between Carrie R. Hartley, 41, and Joshua C. McMillen 37, on the 1200 block of South Main Street.

A summons was issued to Cathleen M. Wiederholt, 20, for driving while intoxicated and an equipment violation on the 100 block of South Buchanan Street.

A summons was issued to Avery R. Arnold, 19, for a minor in possession and possession of a fake ID on the 400 block of West Ninth Street.

Council members asked about how these regulations will be managed. There will be an enforcement officer. If they see an issue, they will reach out to the homeowner and go through a process to rectify the issue.

“The first step is always just that outreach and trying to educate the homeowners with (regulations),” Heiland said.

City Manager Greg McDanel updated Council on the progress of the South Main Corridor Project. Phase I was meant to be completed April 28 but will not be until done until summer. McDanel said Phase 1 is about 82% complete.

The delays are because of weather and other circumstances.

Traffic signals have been installed and McDanel said will be running in a while and sidewalks are being worked on. Phase II construction bidding is still being done. Mayor Tye Parsons also commented on the delays.

“I think it’s important to note that the city continues to work with our contractors to work hard to move the project along,” Parsons said. “... We expect this summer for sure we’ll be done and ready to go, we appreciate the public’s patience as we continue to finish up this project.”

Other City Council Business:

• Council member Benjamin Lipiec will be a part of the Tourism Board.

• Council member Bryan Williams will be on the Region-

DAVIS CONTINUED FROM A1

While teaching, she was also a part of the Missouri Society of Health and Physical Educators Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Task Force.

In Valley Park School District, where she taught for 13 years, she said she was the only Black certified teacher in the whole district.

“...I was the only Black certified teacher there for 13 years,” Davis said. “So in a way, I was a designated DI person. Because students would come to me and staff and faculty would come to me with questions and different things like that.”

She said her experience being the only Black certified teacher in the district, along with her membership in other organizations, set her up for her new position in the Northwest DI Office.

“...That’s the perk of being a Northwest grad, is explaining my story,” Davis said. “And a lot of students think that the staff and faculty had perfect lives, and that’s why they’re here. Well, our lives weren’t perfect, and I’ve had a roller coaster of life.”

In just over two weeks, Davis said she has already made many connections with students and is looking forward to more connections with staff and faculty.

Junior physical education major Nicholas Bolton said he has known Davis since his freshman year. Over the last three years, he has gotten to know her more and said she lights up a room when she enters.

“Everybody already loves LT, we already knew her,” Bolton said. “So having that chance to have her in the office and just be around this, like literally almost every day, is just another great thing. And her office is very welcoming. She’s also a very welcoming person, too.”

With the new change in scenery from admissions to the DI office, Davis said she has one goal:

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At the University of Missouri, the university dismissed all requirements of a diversity statement in the application process. At Northwest, that has never been a requirement despite it being part of an Inclusive Excellence Plan that would include it in time. With the new legislation and resistance to DEI efforts, that has been cut out of the plan.

“The nice thing is we’ve really been keeping a pulse on what’s going down in Jefferson City and then making sure that our work is aligned where we could continue to do the things we’re doing,” Mallett said.

Coordinator of Diversity and Inclusion

Latonya Davis said even though this is happening in other states, she doesn’t worry about Northwest’s program.

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The department worked directly with the Nodaway County Commissioners, which included an intern from Northwest. Wedlock said the intern was a huge help in the process of applying for the grant and getting all of the necessary information.

Safety is one of the main concerns for improvement with the grant money. Strong said there was a fire a couple of years ago an inmate set, and the building filled with smoke, making it al Council of Governments Board, which coordinates with other counties to address any large issues. be there for students who need her.

• Jacob Katsion was approved for a special use permit to rent out an apartment.

• Council amended Chapter 235, to remove the term ‘medical’ in front of marijuana to apply to all usages of marijuana and prevent people from publically using it.

• Council adopted the Nodaway County Multi-Jurisdictional Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, which reduces long-term hazard risks for people and property.

• Council accepted the Stormwater Management Plan for the Southview Apartments, Phase III.

• Council executed a rights-ofway agreement for communication facilities with Embarq Missouri, Inc.

“I’ve talked to many students, they always talk about that culture that’s around, the positive culture that’s around and everyone’s willing to help,” Davis said. “And I want to be that person to help others as well.”

“I just have faith that the powers that be understand the importance of it,” Davis said. “And all of our students, no matter who they are, all of our students feel equitable, seen, heard, loved, cared about, and I think they understand that that’s needed.”

Workers and attendees of the DI Office were vocal with their opinions. Juniors Darren Ross and Nicholas Bolton are two Northwest underrepresented students who have talked about what implications this bill has.

“We didn’t know that this bill was being passed,” Ross said. “Now listening about the bill again, it seems like the bill is more of a leeway to something that’s more important to them … It’s not really targeted towards the correct people, but it’s an easy way to shift focus to blame someone else for the issues that are occurring in the current realm of the society that we live in, in the United dangerous for both the employees and the inmates while they were trying to evacuate.

“We have to provide them a safe place, medical attention while they are here and feed them,” Strong said. “So we have an obligation to make sure, while we keep them confined as ordered by the court, that we do that in a humanitarian process.”

The door upgrades will help make the building safer for the staff. Incase of a dangerous inmate, all of the doors need to be functioning and locking properly. Strong said these upgrades

States (and) Missouri.”

Bolton said Mallett discussed with them that the bill also wanted to remove tenure from Missouri universities. Bolton said this would affect Missouri’s higher education in its entirety. He said this would affect higher education since so many professors already have tenure, so big change would come with removing it.

Freshman Kindyl Jones said the DI Office has given her good friends and has gotten her connected with people. She discussed what she thought would happen to other Missouri colleges that would be hit harder with this bill because of more reliance on state funding.

“I could definitely see their minority enrollment going down,” Jones said. “Just because I feel like the funding is very important to be able to put on events and make the campus feel inclusive.” should have been done years ago, and they are finally going to be taken care of.

Wedlock said the jail building requires frequent maintenance because there are a lot of people who come in and out.

The closing date from the grant, when the money has to be used and the repairs made, is June 2026, so it will be an ongoing process, and there is no specific timeline being followed.

Vendors will now be looked for to hire to help with the repairs on the buildings. The bid processes are being started, so the con- struction and improvements can start. There is no order in which the improvements will be made, it will be going off of the bids received and who is available to do the improvements and when.

“I think we’re just excited we were able to capture this grant with the help of the Commission and Northwest Regional Council of Governments to write the grant,” Wedlock said.

There will be another meeting soon with the Department of Public Safety, which is going to administer the grant, to sort out the bid process and set it to start.

Northwest will be holding its graduation ceremony for the class of 2023 at 10 a.m. May 6 in Bearcat Stadium — similar to the graduation for the class of 2020 during the pandemic. The main difference, Northwest didn’t account for the amount of students and the chaos it would create.

Graduates and their families are filled with questions due to the uncertainty of many factors in the ceremony. How long will it take? Where do we park? What about accessibility? But most importantly, some students are stuck with one big question: Am I going to walk?

Northwest announced in an email to the graduating class that the ceremony has met maximum capacity for the amount of people walking — just over 1,025 students. The remaining students have been placed on a waitlist.

Northwest underestimated this graduating class.

Students who have spent four, or even more, years working toward getting a degree, creating tens of thousands of dollars worth of debt and working hard each day will not be able to walk across the stage and celebrate the triumph.

Going from in-person classes to being kicked out of the residence halls and moved to online classes, these students experienced Northwest in many forms. The pandemic was one large question mark at the time, but for the students that stuck with it, they deserve the right to walk across the stage.

Some of their classmates — their friends — did not make it to this point. Transferring schools, dropping out or moving completely online was a trend of higher education during that time.

Aside from the students on the waitlist, many student-athletes are unable to have the opportunity to walk across the stage. They have to prioritize their sport over one of the biggest academic accomplishments in their lives.

Since the announcement of a singular ceremony, athletes have been mentioning that they want to walk but are unable to due to the scheduling of meets — which has been set in stone for many months prior to the University’s decision. Athletes, just like every other student, have the right to walk alongside their classmates — or at least given the option.

Last year, Northwest split its commencement into multiple ceremonies, allocating space for every person that wanted to walk. This year, the one large ceremony is lacking numerous details and transparency.

Allowing an average of six people per graduate, Bearcat Stadium reaches capacity at 6,500. Though some families will have less, many will have more, yet there is no ticket system, allowing for an overflow of family and friends with no clarification to how this will be handled.

There is a high possibility seating will be limited whether Northwest will admit it or not.

The University decided it wanted to try this out again and see how it would turn out. So far, many people would rather have it back to the way it was.

Northwest chose to change a functioning graduation ceremony and now students and their families and friends are the ones suffering the consequences.

Parking on campus for any event, even just going to classes, is an ongoing problem. Not to mention when you have 1,025 graduates, their families and friends all trying to park near one destination.

Free parking is available at most lots on campus the day of commencement, according to the Northwest graduation link under “Parking.” There is not one place on campus you can park without a permit of some sort.

The website does state “Elderly, mobility impaired and disabled guests may be brought to the circle drive in front of the Lamkin Activity Center. A lot designated for disabled parking is located across the street from the Lamkin Activity Center, to the west of the Olive DeLuce Fine Arts Building. Vehicles must have a state disabled parking permit.”

Although there is ADA Accessible parking, all lots require you to go up or down a hill of some sort along with a bit of walking. Graduates and guests who are going to want a decent spot where they are not having to walk a mile to the stadium will have to get there earlier than expected — by two hours, when doors open.

For the many who are wondering what will happen if it rains, the answer is nothing.

“The ceremony will happen rain or shine, so dress for the weather. Rain ponchos will be provided to graduates if needed. In case of lightning or severe weather, the ceremony will be delayed, but it will happen that day. If delayed, communication about updated ceremony times will be sent to your email address. Please familiarize yourself with all weather emergency procedures for campus. *Note that umbrellas are not allowed in Bearcat Stadium.”

This is in an email that was sent out April 21 with further information about how the day of graduation will look.

The Green and White scrimmage April 22 was moved to the Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse after a light dusting of snow that was cleared by the start, but Northwest will not consider moving the graduation if it is downpouring on everyone. Yes, they will provide students with ponchos if needed, but didn’t account for the safety of the audience members.

If by chance it rains and the bleachers are wet, someone will fall, someone will get hurt and it will be at no fault but Northwest’s. We understand there isn’t another place for all of these people to go, but that is something that should have been taken into account.

The commencement ceremony is supposed to be approximately two hours long. Without the speeches, student callouts and video that is normally played, that only allots seven seconds per graduate to call their name, grab their “diploma” and walk across the stage.

Two hours will not be enough time to get through the whole graduation, but anything past that amount of time will result in audience members leaving and everyone getting antsy to be done.

The Maryville businesses are going to be under immense stress as well. Families have more than likely already made reservations or plan to soon.

For many restaurants, if you have a reservation at a certain time and aren’t there at that time, you lose your reservation slot. This will cause anger and frustration with customers of the business along with the staff having to try to communicate with the customers.

Northwest graduates should not have to worry about whether they are going to walk, if all of their family members will be accommodated, if they and their families will have adequate parking, if the graduation will go over the allotted time or if it will be delayed.

This is a milestone. A memory that will be talked about for generations. Many want this to be a happy memory, but with all of the blurred lines and confusion, it isn’t looking like it will be a stress free day.

It’s too late to fix this year’s graduation ceremony mishaps, but listen to the graduates this year and don’t let future classes undergo the same chaos.

Upcoming Games

For information about Northwest Athletics throughout the summer break, check out bearcatsports.com. Information about schedules and schedule changes for Maryville High School over the summer can be found at meconference.org.