De Soto Council Honors Retiring Police Chief, Advances Flood Buyout Program, and Addresses Hemp Business Questions

The De Soto City Council moved forward with several pieces of city business at its recent meeting, including a unanimous vote to continue pursuing federal flood buyout funding, recognition of retiring Police Chief Jeff McCreary, appointments to the library board, and a public explanation of how the city is handling questions about hemp-related products.

The most meaningful portion of the meeting included a recognition of retiring Police Chief Jeff McCreary, who is set to retire June 1 after a 40-year career in law enforcement, including his service as De Soto’s police chief since 2018.

McCreary originally came out of retirement to lead the department at a time when the city was facing serious setbacks. During his tenure, city officials credited him with helping stabilize the department, improve staffing and retention, and strengthen a more community-focused approach to policing.

Near the end of the open session, City Manager Todd Melkus called McCreary forward and presented him with a plaque from the city. Melkus thanked him for his years of work and said the city had made meaningful progress during McCreary’s time as chief, including after residents supported a sales tax that helped increase police staffing.

McCreary thanked the council, city staff and Melkus for their support. He said the city had taken on major challenges during his nearly eight years in De Soto, along with many smaller issues that required steady work.

“I think it’s important to note that I’ve had a lot of support over the years,” McCreary said. “We took on some big challenges.”

Flood Buyout Program Moves Forward

Another significant action of the night came when the council approved a resolution tied to the BRIC program, a federal hazard mitigation program that can help buy out homes in flood-prone areas. City Manager Todd Melkus told the council the city had gone through a similar process last year, but the funding was later pulled back at the federal level.

Melkus said De Soto has again been allocated funding through the State of Missouri’s process, although the city itself does not apply directly to FEMA. Instead, applications must first go through the state before being moved forward for federal consideration.

According to Melkus, De Soto is positioned to receive a large share of the state’s available funding for this round of the program. He told the council the city’s local match would be $369,828, which represents 25 percent of the project cost.

The proposed buyouts would be voluntary and could include six additional properties located in the floodplain near the creek. Melkus said the homeowners involved have remained interested in the program and have stayed in contact with the city about the process.

He also emphasized that the homes being considered are not simply properties that appeared on updated flood maps. He said the homes had actually received damage from past flooding events, including earlier major floods.

“All of these houses did receive damage from those floods,” Melkus told the council, adding that he believed the homeowners would be excited for the opportunity if final approval is granted.

The city still has work to do before the process is complete. Melkus said staff must update paperwork, meet again with homeowners, confirm continued participation and submit the required materials to the state by the end of the month or early June. He also cautioned that the buyouts are not final until FEMA issues the formal payout.

After the explanation, the council voted unanimously to proceed.

Library Board Appointments Approved

The council also unanimously approved appointments to the library board. Joni Roland, Eve Janus and Connie Krizek were appointed after the council reviewed the applications. The motion passed without opposition.

Hemp Business Questions Addressed

The council also heard an explanation from Melkus about a hemp-related business that has recently drawn public questions. Melkus said there had been “Facebook chatter” and questions from residents who believed an illegal marijuana business may have opened in the area.

Melkus explained that the issue stems from federal law changes passed in the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized hemp and opened the door for hemp-derived products containing small amounts of THC. He said those products are different from state-licensed cannabis dispensary products and that businesses selling them have not been required to hold the same state cannabis licenses.

He said the business in question submitted the information required for its business license and was able to operate legally under the current rules. He also said the business has other locations elsewhere in Missouri.

However, Melkus told the council that new restrictions are coming. He said state action, combined with federal efforts to close loopholes, will ban intoxicating hemp products later this year. According to the discussion, those restrictions are expected to take effect Nov. 12.

Melkus compared the situation to the legal uncertainty surrounding gambling machines that appeared in gas stations and other locations. In both cases, he said, businesses operated under loopholes while state and federal officials worked through how to regulate or restrict them.

At the same time, Melkus made it clear the city does not plan to take on the role of policing those products itself.

He said the city attorney had been consulted and that De Soto does not plan to be directly involved in enforcement.

The discussion appeared intended to clarify the city’s role. The business may be controversial to some residents, but Melkus said it had not opened as an illegal cannabis dispensary. Instead, it is operating in an area of law that state and federal officials are now working to close.

Other Business

In other business, the council approved a group of liquor license renewals and approved a parade application for the De Soto High School Fountain City Classic Marching Festival. The parade is scheduled for Oct. 3.

The meeting also included a brief citizen question about nuisance ordinances and messy yards. Melkus said the city had updated its nuisance ordinance in 2025 to address issues such as items being piled on porches and other property concerns. He encouraged residents to provide specific addresses to city staff or code enforcement when they see problems.

The council later moved into closed session after completing the open portion of the meeting.

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