City of Mexico officials want to find grant funding to demolish Hardin Gym on the Presser Arts Center campus, and the Mexico City Council took steps to achieve that desire by approving a measure at its April 28 meeting.

Council approved a resolution authorizing the hiring of a professional grant writing and administrative services firm to assist the city and Presser Arts Center in seeking a Community Development Block Grant for the demolition of the Hardin Gym, which rests on the southeast corner of the Presser Arts Center property, located at 920 S. Jefferson St. Lois Brace, executive director of Presser Arts Center, said plans are for a parking lot to go on the site of Hardin Gym.

In June 2024, council approved the filing of a Fiscal Year 2024 CDBG for this same purpose, but  that grant was not approved for funding by the Missouri Department of Economic Development, a council agenda memo stated. Brace said in an email that Presser Arts Center did not score high enough on the MDED’s list to be awarded.

City staff thinks the best chance of receiving CDBG funding for this project will come through hiring a firm with specialized experience and technical competence capable of carrying out all aspects of the grant-related activities, the memo stated. 

Two firms provided responses to the city’s request for proposals by the submittal deadline of April 16, and those two firms were Mark Twain Regional Council of Governments, of Perry, Missouri, and Sunflower Grant Writers, of Omaha, Nebraska. The selection committee, based on ratings and scores, recommended hiring the Mark Twain Regional Council of Governments, which has “successfully prepared and administered over 300 CDBG projects throughout the central Missouri region,” the council agenda memo stated.

“Their staff annually completes the required CDBG policies and procedures training and they are in compliance with the E-Verify requirement,” the memo stated. “The MTRCOG proposes to perform the services as requested for a maximum amount of $16,000. The final amount, not to exceed the maximum, will be determined by the cost of the project as detailed in the project application. The cost to perform these services are grant eligible and will be added into the total project cost. The total project cost is estimated at $90,000 and any cash contribution required for this project will be the sole responsibility of Presser Arts Center.”

During the meeting, Deputy City Manager Nathan Mai-Lombardo told council there’s no cost involved and any cost of the grant management, should it be awarded, would come from the grant monies, and any additional costs or surprises would be paid for by Presser Arts Center.  

“Low-risk opportunity for us,” he said.

Council member Ron Ray asked that in the event the grant is not awarded, would Presser be on the hook for that money, the $16,000. Yes, Mai-Lombardo said.

“If we don’t get the money, I don’t believe there’s any costs because Mark Twain would get the money,” Mai-Lombardo said. “Anything that they would charge for managing the grant would be paid for as part of the grant itself.”

Brace said in an email that Hardin Gym’s walls are crumbling from rot and it has been officially condemned by the city. There is nothing stored in the building and there are large sections of daylight visible in the falling roof. 

Brace said in the email that Presser’s master plan for long-range planning is to build a 200- seat recital hall, six additional classrooms, storage, offices, box office and restrooms located in the front lawn of the original facility. 

“It would be connected to the original Presser Hall built in 1924,” she said, adding that “this long range plan is in the future (and) we already have architectural drawings for the build.”

Additionally, she said in the email, “Currently we are building an additional facility in the BACK of the building. It contains a flexible classroom (intended to house the Community Choir, Screening Room, Arts Education, Kitchen Theatre), maker space/scene shop, ceramics studio, full bathroom, storage/office, mezzanine storage. This addition sits between Richardson Hall and Presser Arts Center. It will be connected to Presser but not connected to Richardson.”

Also at the meeting, council approved  a resolution authorizing the city accept permanent and temporary construction easements for the North Kentucky Street Stormwater Improvement Project, being part of an American Rescue Plan Act grant. Council also approved a resolution authorizing the city to accept temporary construction easements for the Curtis Street Stormwater Improvement Project and a resolution authorizing the city to accept temporary construction easements for stormwater improvements at the West Love Street and North Abat Street Intersection, with both of these projects being part of an ARPA grant. 

Council also approved a resolution authorizing the city manager to execute agreements with organizations for recommended funding from the Mexico Tourism Tax. Those organizations were Paul and Theresa Ridgway, for the George Michael Reborn Event, and Mexico Jaycees Inc., for the 2025 Mexico Jaycees Soybean Festival. The city currently has a tourism tax that is collected by the hotels/motels within the city limits. The resolution authorizes the city manager to execute agreements with various organizations to receive tourism funding for their advertising campaign. 

The Mexico Tourism Commission reviewed applications for tourism funding and council approved their recommendations of $1,000 for the George Michael Reborn Event, to be held June 7, and $5,050 for the soybean festival, slated for Aug. 22-23.

Council also approved accepting Williams Keepers LLC’s proposal for auditing services for fiscal years 2025 through 2028. The accounting firm is based in Columbia.