Springfield Business Journal_2020-09-14

SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 3 SEPT. 14-20, 2020 NEWS IN THIS ISSUE Tuthill Springfield manufactures vacuums for NASA to use in zero- gravity training simulators. PAGE 6 After nearly 40 years in business, Bach Medical Supply is sold to a national retailer. PAGE 9 Vol. 41 No. 8 Columnist Mark Holmes calls on businesses to simpl ify their strategic plan. OPINION PAGE 23 If we can empower these employers to be able to help us by taking some early actions , it will help reduce the spread.” —Cara Erwin of the Springfield- Greene County Health Department, on the newly released COVID-19 business toolkit PAGE 10 QUOTE OF THE WEEK Jungmann to exit SPS after 7 years The superintendent says he’s retiring from public education by Geoff Pickle · gpickle@sbj.net Springfield Public Schools superinten- dent John Jungmann is exiting his position after seven years with the district. SPS announced Sept. 9 that the 2020- 21 academic year would be Jungmann’s last. In his resignation letter, Jungmann told SPS Board of Education members he would retire from Missouri public school service “after a combined 23 years spent as a teacher, building principal and district superintendent.” His resignation is effec- tive Aug. 31, 2021, according to the letter, a copy of which was provided to Springfield Business Journal. In an interview with SBJ following the announcement, Jungmann said his “season is coming to an end” at SPS. “My strengths are around creating changes in a system, building strategies and deploying initiatives. I’m really satisfied with the work that our team has done,” he said. “I just think Council passes Galloway rezoning amendment    Elevation Development Co. makes changes to its mixed-use project plans by Mike Cullinan · mcullinan@sbj.net The fate of a Galloway Village rezoning request has been further delayed to the Sept. 21 Springfield City Council meeting. At its Sept. 8 meeting, council approved an amendment to the rezoning bill for the proposed mixed- use project called Treadway. It was fol- lowed by nearly an hour of public dis- cussion, with most speaking out against the amendment and project.  The amendment, which was proposed Sept. 2 by developer Mitch Jenkins of Elevation Develop- ment Co., passed 7-2. Council members Mike Schilling and Craig Hosmer voted against the proposal. The decision means the rezoning bill is set for a likely final council vote Sept. 21. Jenkins is seeking to rezone roughly 4 acres at 3535 S. Lone Pine Ave. for the de- velopment. Many Galloway Village resi- dents have been critical of the project first introduced in 2018 that seeks to bring re- tail, office, restaurant space and two multi- family buildings to the area.  In the approved amendment, Elevation Development is decreasing the height limit to 56 feet from 60 feet for buildings that are more than 60 feet from the street. A planned underground parking garage also is being removed, with city staff noting the action reduces the amount of grading.  However, the amendment also reconfig- ures parking spaces for the development, requiring the removal of eight existing trees and the addition of a retaining wall not to exceed 8 feet, said city Director of Planning and Development Mary Lilly Smith. During the Sept. 8 public hearing on the rezoning, a total of 16 residents spoke, with 13 opposed to the amendment and the project.  “The consistent problem with this development is the attempt to cram too much into too small of a space,” said resi- dent Tom O’Connell. “A 4-foot reduction in height and remov- ing eight more trees from the initial 279 is not a compromise and still does not belong in Galloway.” Melanie Bach, president of the Galloway Village Neighborhood Association, said the amendment does nothing to address concerns of the total units and density of the project. “It is absurd, almost obscene, the amount of the city’s time and money that has been wasted on this to be the end product that See JUNGMANN on page 29 See GALLOWAY on page 19 C I T Y B E AT from the Sept. 8 City Council Meeting • Council hears proposed City Utilities budget for fiscal 2021. • City staff given authority to condemn property along Republic Road to widen the street to five lanes. • Replacement of HVAC systems at Southwest Wastewater Treatment Plant is approved. Full City Council coverage is at SBJ.net/citybeat SBJ FILE John Jungmann is scheduled to leave the district in summer 2021.