Customers of Kirkwood Electric will pay more this year due to a rate increase approved by the Kirkwood City Council.  Councilors voted 4-2 in favor of a bill that sets the electric rate to 9.86¢ per kilowatt-hour for a typical customer. The rate will increase the average customer's utility bills $10 each month from October through May but will decrease utility bills $4 each month from June through September for an annual increase of $76. Under the new rate, customers will pay $9 a year less than those with Ameren. The increase is the first for the public utility in three years.  "We're doing …

The Kirkwood City Council unanimously approved tighter regulations on liquor and tabacco stores as well as car washes opening in the city. With its second and final vote in favor of a bill that addresses the types of businesses moving to Kirkwood, petitioners must now seek a special use permit from the city's planning commission before pursuing any kind of development of these businesses. The council voted unanimously for the bill, one Kirkwood Mayor Art McDonnell says will provide the city and residents more control over development in Kirkwood.  Last week's decision by the council follows a…

Even though a U-Gas did not find the favor of the city's planning and zoning commission, it's not stopping the business from pursuing development of a station and convenience store near the corner of Manchester and North Kirkwood roads. A public hearing for the proposed U-Gas at 915 North Kirkwood Rd. has been placed on the Kirkwood City Council's Feb. 7 agenda. When the city's planning and zoning commission denied recommending a special use exception permit for U-Gas, homeowners opposed to the development considered the decision a victory. U-Gas expressed an interest in appealing the …

To protect against an exotic beetle that likely would destroy Kirkwood’s ash tree population, the Greentree City will remove all ash trees in the city’s right-of-way. The pest is the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) who was discovered in Southeast Missouri in 2008 and then in two other Missouri counties in 2012. The city predicts it’s only a matter of time before the EAB lands in Kirkwood. According to the City of Kirkwood’s blog, All Aboard, any large-scale die-off of ash trees would overwhelm Kirkwood’s forestry crew and result in costly contract work. To prevent this, Kirkwood will perform a survey…

City councilors approved an increase to Kirkwood's electric rates at its Thursday meeting that would up customers' electric bills $76 a year on average.  The Kirkwood City Council voted 5-1 on Thursday night to change Kirkwood's average yearly electric rate from 9.475 cents to 9.86 cents per kilowatt hour. Summer and winter rates differ in Kirkwood. Under the new rate, Kirkwood customers would pay on average $9 less a year than Ameren customers.  Councilor Gina Jaksetic voted against the bill to raise rates.  "My intent in voting no was to try to encourage additional dialogue in terms of …

Kirkwood residents will see their electric bills increase if the Kirkwood City Council approves a new bill that asks for a change to the city's electric rates. The bill, which will go before the city council at its regular meeting Thursday, increases the city's electric rate to the same as Ameren's.  The new rate would increase the average Kirkwood household's electric bill $4 per month during summer months (June-September) and $10 per month during winter months (October-May) for an on average annual increase of $96 per year.  The rate change would generate an an extra $940,000 for Kirkwood …

At their Jan. 3 meeting, the Kirkwood City Council voted unanimously in favor of an ordinance that bans protesting a funeral or burial site within 300 feet of the event. The bill was considered after the 8th District Federal Court of Appeals upheld a similar law in the city of Manchester, MO, which had been challenged by the Westboro Baptist Church with the help of the American Civil Liberties Union. City of Kirkwood attorneys worked with the city of Manchester in drafting the bill. "...Although protesters have a right to express their opinions on a matter of public concern, an ordinance …

In an effort to gain more control over development, the City of Kirkwood is proposing tightening the approval process for new liquor stores, tobacco stores and car washes. The Kirkwood City Concil will hold a public hearing Thursday at 7 p.m. about an amendment to the city's zoning code that would require business owners to secure a special use permit before developing the types of businesses. If passed, business owners would need to go before the Kirkwood Planning and Zoning Commission and Kirkwood City Council before regardless of how a property is zoned. "This would give citizens some …