Around 30 people, many against the proposed $6 billion data center that would be located south of Maryville, attended the Maryville City Council Meeting Monday. Among topics discussed were motor scooters, the proposed data center, and boat docking rules.
Stephanie Neal addressed the council and said that there was a recurring problem with people riding electric and motor scooters on sidewalks where they were not supposed to be. She said they were ruining the new sidewalks on the south side of Maryville, operating without a valid license, and said that they were 250-pound missiles. There was also a motor wheelchair on the roads as well; they have a big flag so that motorists can see them. Ms. Neal said that she saw one such scooter being operated by a nine year old kid. She called for more enforcement of city and state law recording motor scooters.
City Manager Ryan Heiland said that there had been a lot of talk recently in his group with other city managers regarding motor scooters. He said that different cities had different rules, with some banning them outright, while some make rules depending on what kind they were. Maryville’s ordinance is designed to mirror state law. Mr. Heiland said that when school was dismissed for the year, there was an uptick in accidents; there were five in five days at one point.
Police Chief Mike Stolte said that as far as enforcement was concerned, it was difficult to tell different scooters apart and difficult to tell if someone was 15 or 16 if the city were to start classifying people that way.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol website says that it is illegal to operate motorized bicycles on public streets and highways unless the operator has a valid driver’s license. This applies to mini-motorcycles. It applies to any two or three-wheeled device that has an automatic transmission and a motor with cylinder capacity of not more than 50 cubic centimeters, which produces less than three gross brake horsepower, and is capable of propelling the device at maximum speed of not more than 30 mph on the ground. Such vehicles can be operated if the user holds a valid Missouri driver’s license.
Under Missouri law, motorized bicycles and mini-motorcycles that have a motor with a cylinder capacity of more than 50 cc and/or the ability to travel more than 30 mph are considered motorcycles and are enforced as such. People must get a separate license to operate motorcycles. The law makes no distinction between electric and gas-powered vehicles.
Councilwoman Erin Allen said that it was not always kids who were the problem; she said that her family had two near-misses with motor scooters, and both were involving people well over 21. The council came to a consensus that public education regarding the law and public safety was the best route to go at this time. The council directed staff to research options.
Steve Reed asked the council why he wasn’t allowed to rent boat docks without camping at Mozingo anymore. Mr. Reed said he had lived in the county 62 years, that he had rented a dock one year for his boat for him and his 11 year old son to go fishing, and that the next year, he was advised that it had been changed to where only overnight guests could dock at Mozingo Lake. He asked what was the point when half the docks were empty except for Memorial Day and July 4th. “My son keeps asking me now why we can’t go to the lake,” Mr. Reed. He said that he has to drive 30 miles to land he owns north of Sheridan if he and his son want to go fishing together. He asked the council to reconsider the policy.
Council members and staff along with City Manager Heiland said that there had always been a policy against renting a dock unless one was an overnight guest, but that it had been an informal rule and had not been put into writing before 2025. That led one councilman Ben Lipiec to suggest a compromise, allowing people to rent a dock without camping there from Monday through Thursday, but then leave. City Manager Ryan Heiland said that would require more enforcement work from staff, who would have to keep track of whose boats were supposed to be there and who they belonged to. Mr. Heiland said there had been issues with boats docked there that nobody knew whose they were without running a check through law enforcement. He said they would look in to it.
Mr. Reed said he had developed a disability in 2019. Mr. Heiland and council members said it was worth researching adding short-term ADA compliant docks. Mozingo already has one.
Nancy Zeliff presented the council with a list of 58 questions that people had from the data center meeting at the Community Center recently. Over 200 people attended the meeting and forum. “These facilities poison the air, water, and ground and take jobs,” she said. She called on them to answer the questions. “In your heart and soul, you need to answer,” she said.
J.R. Calkin, who lives near where the proposed data center will be, said that one time, there was a fire at the substation and “nobody showed up for 30 minutes.” Mr. Calkin said that if a data center caught fire, “you can’t do much to put it out.” He raised concerns about noise and pollution which he said would affect livestock and humans.
David Howell reported to the council on one of his conversations with a Scale rep at the recent meeting at Mozingo Lake. Mr. Howell said he was advised that there were ways to cool data centers without the use of water. “So why should we provide them water,” he asked.
The following minutes were approved:
—Executive Session minutes from April 13th, in which the council discussed options regarding filling the Finance Director position.
—Executive session minutes from April 13th in which the council authorized Mr. Heiland and staff to look into the purchase of the building next door to City Hall, which is up for sale. The council also approved executive session minutes from April 27th in which the council reached a consensus to proceed with an appraisal. The council also approved executive session minutes from May 11th in which the council authorized an offer for $250,000 for the building in question.
—Regular meeting minutes from April 13th.
—Executive session minutes from April 27th in which the council discussed the PeopleService agreement at the wastewater plant and the process for soliciting bids wastewater operations in the future. Staff and council reviewed potential considerations for a competitive bidding process when the existing contract approaches renewal.
—Executive session minutes from April 27th regarding the legal requirements and considerations related to an easement on private property.
—Regular meeting minutes from April 27th.
—Executive session minutes from May 11th in which the council met with Economic Developer Josh McKim regarding the proposed $6 billion data center project. Mr. McKim discussed the potential economic impact and operational aspects of such developments and informed them about the Open House that was subsequently held by Scale Microgrids on June 3rd.
—Executive session minutes from May 11th regarding the Assistant City Manager position, including revisions to the job description, the recruitment process, and the anticipated timeline for accepting nominations and conducting interviews.
—Regular session minutes from May 13th.
The council appointed Scott Kuhlemeyer, Cara Colville, and Ashley Strickland to the Maryville Public Library Board of Trustees for three-year terms ending June 30th, 2029 and Shelbie Wooten to fill a vacant position for a term ending June 30th, 2028.
The council voted to approve a neighborhood block party street closure on June 27th, 2026 from 8 am to 4 pm on South Saunders Street from the corner of East South Avenue to the top of the hill, leaving the section of Lieber and Saunders streets open. There will be a neighborhood BBQ with vintage cars on display.
The council approved a neighborhood block party and street closure on West Third Street between Ray and Grand Street on July 4th from 12 noon to 11 pm.
The council approved 21 liquor license renewals and 11 renewals contingent on completing final documents and inspections.
The council approved a grant agreement with the Lions Club to purchase and install an all-inclusive playground at Mozingo Lake. In 2022, Mozingo staff began evaluating options to replace aging playground equipment after several structures were found to be damaged or no longer safe for use. The old equipment is for ages 4 through 8 and only ten kids at a time could play on it. The new equipment will be for ages 2 through 12 and will be able to accommodate 50 users at a time and have more opportunities for children with disabilities.
Mozingo staff along with the Maryville Pride Lions Club and Maryville Host Lions Club successfully pursued a grant through the Lions Clubs International Foundation with the Foundation awarding $99,636 and the city providing a $99,636 match. The equipment will be installed either late fall or early spring. The equipment was last renovated in 2002. The equipment will be at the Lions Shelter House at Mozingo.
The council voted to approve mixer repair and electrical improvements at the wastewater treatment plant and awarded the contract to Ross Construction. There had been concerns with the mixers, all three of which are connected through a common power cable system. Recently, one of the cables broke and became entangled, rendering all three mixers inoperable. The project will replace the current system with a new cable system allowing each mixer to be independently retrieved and allowing each mixer to be independently disconnected. Total cost will be $68,600.
The council voted to authorize Cognet Inc. to repair a scum pump at the wastewater treatment facility. The scum pump is responsible for transferring fats, oils, grease, and solids removed during treatment. It was sent in for repair following signs of failure. An examination found extensive internal damage and wear. Total cost for repair will be $12,250.27.
The council voted to purchase new dispatch radio refresh equipment from Midwest Mobile. The City of Maryville and Nodaway County combined their 911 services in 2020 into the Northwest Regional Communications Center in part because both their equipment was beyond their useful lives and support contracts. In 2019, the city last purchased radio console equipment with an expected lifespan of five years. Last year, the city upgraded the 911 system; this year, the city focused on the radio refresh.
The city last purchased dispatch radio console refresh equipment from Motorola. Recently, the city found out that instead of an estimated price tag of just under $30,000, the cost would be nearly $50,000. Midwest Mobile submitted a radio console refresh proposal for $29,693.26, to be paid from the Fiscal Year 2027 budget. The council approved the proposal.
City Manager Ryan Heiland reported that Herzog began street milling operations at the south end of the massive construction project the city has undertaken. During the construction, motorists will be escorted through the construction zone by a pilot car, and there may be closures on side streets
The council voted to go into closed session under 610.021(1) regarding legal matters. Mr. Calkin protested the vote, saying that the citizens speaking regarding the motorized bikes and scooters and the boat dock rental policies had their concerns discussed, but not the people with concerns about the data center. The use of motorized bicycles and scooters in city limits was in the agenda as a discussion topic. Under “Reports,” any city council member can bring up a topic of interest under the Agenda; Councilwoman Allen brought up the boat dock rental issue. The data center was not on the agenda and was not brought up by any council person.
