Skidmore progresses with fire station grant

By Kathryn Rice | June 22, 2026 |

FORUM FILE PHOTO
Skidmore’s Newton Hall

SKIDMORE, Mo. — The Skidmore Board of Aldermen on June 9 heard from Jerri Dearmont, executive director of the Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments, during a public hearing on applying for a grant for a new fire station.

The fire department is planning to add a community room to the fire building if the Community Development Block Grant is awarded. It will be used as a warming and cooling station during emergencies. A rescue unit from the Nodaway County Ambulance District will be housed at the new station. The building will be located at the current location of the existing fire station.

This is the third time the city has applied for the Community Development Block Grant program, which is a federal program facilitated through the Missouri Department of Economic Development. The grant applications require specific benchmarks to be met, including a public hearing and a resolution from the board of aldermen. If awarded, the city will be responsible for the money from the grant while the fire department will be responsible for meeting the rest of the requirements, like the environmental review and overview of construction.

Dearmont explained the city had not received CDBG grants in the past because of the low availability of funding. The grant is due by Friday, July 31, but Dearmont hopes to have it in by mid-July.

Other Skidmore notes

The board will discuss approving a new junkyard ordinance. The city had previously dropped the existing junkyard ordinance as a way to not allow any new junkyards into Skidmore. This will be taken up at the July 14 meeting.
Heather Montenguise, of the regional council, talked about the programs the organization offers to cities and individuals. Later in the meeting, the board talked about applying for Missouri Department of Transportation grants. They were informed regional council could help with those.
The 2026 mayor ordinance was approved after a first and second reading. It brought the ordinance in line with the aldermen ordinance which was approved last month.
The city approved a $7,771.14 agreement with LED Lighting Supply, of Nashua, New Hampshire, for 13 lights for the ballfield. There was hesitation on spending that much, but Alderman Tim Slagle said, “the ballfield brings people to town.” This amount doesn’t include an electrician.
Mike Reasoner, maintenance operator, reported that city residents had two sewer backups the week prior. The city main backed up into a home on 18th Street. This cost the city $984 for Bud’s Sewer Service emergency service. Reasoner wants to remind residents to use some kind of root killer to help keep the sewer lines clear.
He also gave a report showing the flow meters purchased by the city are working. With the heavy rainfall, it showed 453,000 gallons flowing through the sewer system. The rain has also damaged the streets, he said.
Residents brought up a couple of items. Reasoner will fill a pothole with gravel as soon as he can get to it. There is also a streetlight out. He has notified Evergy three times and will keep trying, he said.
The city has switched to QuickBooks online and the staff is still adjusting to the difference in reports, etc.
A budget meeting will be set within the next two weeks, said Mayor Teresa Carter. She also hasn’t heard back on the grant application on the lead service line inventory.
The city has purchased lights so that the flags can be left out on Memorial Day and Veterans Day at the Hillcrest Cemetery.
The next meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 14, at Newton Hall.