A split decision by Sedalia’s city council Monday, Oct. 7 resulted in the defeat of a proposed ordinance that would have installed no parking signs in front of a home.

Residents of a home on West Sixth Street requested a no parking ordinance in front of their home to provide easier access for their special needs children to board their school bus. City administrator Kelvin Shaw says while the council saw the residents’ need to provide a safe boarding zone for their children, they were concerned about the precedent it might set.

Concerns about setting a precedent led to council members Rhiannon Foster, Bob Hiller, and Tom Oldham to vote against the measure. Shaw notes that because one council member was absent, the measure didn’t receive the five votes required to pass.

The proposal had been postponed from last month’s meeting and amended to limit the restriction to weekdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Shaw says discussions will continue with the homeowners as well as with Sedalia Schools as to how best to resolve their situation.

Also at Monday night’s meeting, Sedalia’s city council agreed to four utility easements along South Limit to allow the extension of a sewer line to a new Bobcat dealership, as well as accepted a quote for repairing one of the city’s vacuum and jet trucks while trading in another. The council also agreed to a three-year agreement for geography information services and approved the staff’s recommendation for city employee health insurance. The council also accepted a $12,187 grant for the purchase of equipment for the police department.