VIENNA — The Vienna Board of Aldermen on June 8 approved installing an automated external defibrillator (AED) at the city park’s concession stands in cooperation with school for athletic and community events.

The Maries County R-1 School District has received a grant for the installation but asked the city to cover half the costs for routine maintenance. The Missouri EMS Association received $2 million to help Title I schools create a cardiac arrest emergency response plan and purchase the necessary equipment.

The AED will be publicly accessible 24/7 in a weatherproof, climate-controlled box and have electrical and internet access.

Internet access will allow for security surveillance. This will let law enforcement and medical personnel know when the device is being used or tampered with.

Superintendent Teresa Messersmith said the school district plans to meet with the Maries Osage Ambulance District (MOAD) to determine which AED to buy.

These are the estimated maintenance costs laid out in the letter that Messersmith gave to the aldermen:

• Adult AED pads: $200 every five years

• Pediatric AED pads: $100 every two years

• Battery: $100 every year

“That’s pretty cheap if it saves one life honestly,” said Alderman Ken Dixon.

This is in response to Missouri Senate Bill 68, signed by Gov. Mike Kehoe July 9, 2025, for the 2026-27 school year onward.

It requires schools to have an emergency response plan for cardiac arrest. The law also lays out guidelines for AED placement throughout the school campus. During the school day, athletic events and practices, the device must be unlocked, clearly marked and accessible.

The board moved on to budget discussions. City Clerk Tracy Shiver handed out the current year’s budget and the draft for next year’s budget for the aldermen to review. The aldermen will further discuss and approve the budget at the next meeting at 6 p.m. on June 22 at City Hall.

In other business, Alderman Rita Juergens asked if vendors like Jehovah’s Witnesses need to notify City Hall when going door to door. Police Chief Shannon Thompson said that religious groups do not, but those selling goods must get a peddler’s license.

Missouri Revised State Statute 150.490 says that peddlers need to apply for a county license at the collector’s office. Vienna Ordinance 5-3 also requires peddlers to get a license with the city for each day operating.

At the end of the meeting, the aldermen voted to enter closed session. But they realized that they did not need to discuss or vote on anything, according to Shiver.