A large billboard will soon be letting northbound travelers on Highway 249 know that Webb City is just ahead.

The Webb City Council on Monday unanimously approved the cost for a vinyl billboard cover and display it for three months.

Lamar Advertising will create the vinyl and leave the billboard up for 12 weeks at total cost of $3,750. It will be located just south of Seventh Street (in front of Heritage John Deere) on Highway 249.

City Administrator Carl Francis noted the design includes the city’s “We Love it Here” logo, the logos of Atwoods and Sleep Inn & Suites because of their major presence in the Centennial Retail and Industrial Park, and a nod to historic downtown.

Council members agreed with the need to promote the city, especially for the sake of new businesses that choose to locate here because of access to Highways 249 and 171.

That was the only item on the agenda other than routine matters.

However, there was discussion about whether the ban on aerial fireworks should be repealed.

Francis, formerly the police chief, said “there’s no way they (police) can enforce that.”

Not only that, he added aerial fireworks are “legal and they’re allowed to be sold by law.”

“Common sense and misuse” can be enforced,” Francis said, “just not all aerials.”

City Attorney Troy Salchow is to have a council bill repealing that section of the fireworks chapter prepared for first reading at the next meeting, on April 11.

Election interrogation

Mayor Lynn Ragsdale informed the council during his opening message that four of his election signs were found destroyed Sunday morning.

“Where were you, Jon?” he asked Jonathan Shull, his ballot opponent. 

Shull had an airtight alibi.

For revenge, Ragsdale said he put up 10 signs where the four had been destroyed.

“If you do what we do, you have to have a sense of humor,” he said.