Sedalia’s city council has directed city staff to draft an ordinance authorizing the purchase and installation of five new storm sirens.

The move comes after a presentation at Monday night’s city council meeting by fire chief Matt Irwin highlighting areas of Sedalia most in need of storm siren coverage. City Administrator Kelvin Shaw says because of growth the past 15 years, sirens are needed at Clover Dell Park and near Smith-Cotton High School.

At least one gap is near Hubbard Park, where a storm siren had been installed until 2018, when it was moved closer to the Nucor Steel facility. Shaw says the city is looking to purchase the new sirens from Blue Valley Public Safety for $175,000. Shaw says Blue Valley is also working on a storm siren near 32nd and Kentucky that failed during June’s monthly siren test.

Shaw says he expects a proposed ordinance authorizing the purchase of new sirens to be ready for Sedalia’s next city council meeting July 1st.