Alderman steps forward to address speeding issues - City of Lake Ozark

City of Lake Ozark Awarded $300,000 Community Development Block Grant for Demolition Project: Lake Ozark, MO — The City of Lake Ozark has been named the recipient of a $300,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) from the Missouri Department of Economic Development to support a $433,030 building demolition project focused on improving safety and redevelopment opportunities in the Bagnell Dam Strip area. The remaining $133,030 required to complete the project will be provided to the City by the property owner, Reese Development. As a result of the grant award, 23 structures on and around the historic Bagnell Dam Strip will be demolished. All properties included in the project are owned by Reese Development. Among the structures slated for demolition is the former Shoreland Motel located on the Bagnell Dam Strip. Additional buildings included in the project consist of a series of residential and commercial structures located along Carls Drive, Ballenger Road, Thornsberry Road, Beach Drive, and School Road. These structures were determined eligible for CDBG funding due to their advanced state of blight and lack of structural safety, in accordance with adopted building codes. Several of the buildings contain asbestos and other environmental contaminants, and all have been formally certified by the City as dangerous buildings. Buildings were prioritized based on safety concerns, structural deterioration, and overall risk to the public. To qualify for the grant, each structure was required to have been vacant for an extended period of time. Demolition work associated with this project is expected to commence in 2026. “We are proud to partner with the City of Lake Ozark and the Missouri Department of Economic Development to continue the momentum of the last two years on the historic Bagnell Dam Strip,” stated Peter Colovos, Chief Operating Officer of Reese Development. “Brick by brick and block by block we are committed to redeveloping this jewel of the Midwest,” he added. Reese Development has invested more than $600,000 over the last two years in cleaning up the Strip and demolishing dilapidated structures. City Administrator Harrison Fry expressed appreciation for the state’s support:“We are grateful to the State of Missouri for recognizing the opportunity to breathe new life into the Bagnell Dam Strip corridor. This project begins by removing long-standing, dilapidated structures so that safe, meaningful redevelopment can move forward. I would also like to thank Reese Development for their cooperation and commitment to property revitalization, as well as grant writer Tonya Raines for preparing a successful application that made this project possible.” For more information, please contact the City of Lake Ozark.

Posted on July 13, 2021 by dan

Alderman steps forward to address speeding issues

Speeding on City of Lake Ozark streets – as it is around most of the Lake of the Ozarks — is a constant problem. Posted speed limits are often ignored, posing potentially dangerous situations.

But a Lake Ozark alderman is doing something about it.

Matt Wright, voted into office in April, noticed several cars speeding on Valley Road during the Magic Dragon Street Meet Nationals car show in early May. Valley Drive is often used as an alternate route when Bagnell Dam Blvd. is closed for special events. Wright is also a resident on School Road where he’s developing a cluster of tiny homes. Again, he observed motorists speeding, especially when they realize the street is a dead-end street – even though it’s posted as such.

Wright approached Police Chief Gary Launderville about a portable speed trailer that monitors the speed of approaching vehicles and is used as a deterrent to speeding. The chief said buying a unit – which costs between $7,000 and $15,000 – was well beyond the LOPD’s budget.

“Wright took it upon himself to begin a fundraising campaign,” Launderville said.

It’s the intent at this point to buy the speed trailer because of Wright’s fundraising efforts.

After contacts with a speed trailer company, the LOPD discovered a demonstator unit was available for use with the possibility of buying it after a month.

To date, Wright has raised more than $5,000 toward a discounted price of just shy of $10,000. The trailer collects various data including speeds, traffic counts, and more.

The speed trailer was set up on Welsh Road on The North Shore the first week and recorded more than 5,000 vehicles. As of Monday, July 9, the trailer was on Oak Ridge Road. It will be moved to various locations as needed.

“We’ve received a lot of positive feedback from the neighborhoods,” Launderville noted.

Anyone interested in making a donation can do so to the Lake Ozark Police Benevolent Association and drop a check off at the LOPD, 3162 Bagnell Dam Blvd.; or through PayPal, Venmo, check or cash. For PayPal, visit paypal.me/lopbal; for Venmo, search @LakeOzarkPolice-Benevolent.