ELLISVILLE - The Ellisville Board of Aldermen handled several personnel matters during its meeting this week.

Ellisville Mayor Lynn Buckhaults and the Board of Aldermen discussed public safety, the upkeep of public property and approved three resignations during its meeting.

Also, the board approved a lease agreement for the city’s Old Fire Station.

During a meeting earlier this year, the mayor told the city board that a property committee was needed to work out details concerning renting city property. He said the committee was needed to determine if the city should lease some city property and the details that would be required.

Buckhaults said he had received some requests concerning the possible leasing of portions of the city’s Old Fire Station located at 108 North Court Street.

City officials also noted that because the old fire station is located near Ellisville City Hall, some consideration needed to be given to the city’s long-range plan for the building.

Following a lengthy discussion, the group voted to activate a property committee.

Ward Three Alderman Aaron Heidelberg suggested that the members of a previous committee, which was established a couple of years ago, be reactivated. The group agreed and members elected to the committee are Ward One Alderman Chris Hall, Ward Two Alderman Jeffrey Williams, Mayor Buckhaults and City Attorney Randy Laird.

This week, the group recommended that the city lease a portion of the Old Fire Station to Austin Perkins and the board agreed.

Mayor Buckhaults said the lease would involve the upstairs portion of the building and one bay downstairs.

In a separate matter, the board voted unanimously to approve some personnel matters.

Ellisville Police Chief Bruce Russell recommended that the city approve some personnel changes in the Ellisville Police Department’s personnel.

Following a brief discussion, the board of aldermen approved the resignation of Patrol Officer Samuel Denny Graham effective on October 1st and approved the resignation of EPD employee Wanda Thrash effective immediately.

Russell said the two resignations leaves his department with three personnel slots open, with one of them being a person on administrative leave.

The board also approved following the city’s policy and going through the WINN Job Center in Laurel and opening up a police officer application to begin the process of hiring of two new employees.

Also, in the city’s Fire Department, the board of aldermen approved the resignation of Nicolas Hocanson from full-time status to be effective Aug. 31, 2020. They also approved him to go back to part-time status with the department.

In a separate matter, the board of aldermen discussed closing off an unused dead-end portion of McManus Street at the intersection of Roosevelt Street.

Mayor Buckhaults said there were no houses on this portion of the street and no residents should be affected.

“It’s vacant property, just woods,” he said. “Closing this off would hopefully stop the dumping there.”

Officials said someone has been throwing old tires and objects on the property on this dead-end.

However, if the status of the property ever changed, the city would consider reopening the street.

In other business, the board agreed to pay the yearly payment to the policy center at COMM Insurance in the amount of $66,985 for insurance and approved bids on surplus property.