VIENNA — Following a closed session during the May 6 city meeting, the Vienna Board of Aldermen hired Angie Combs as the new city clerk beginning in July.

Combs recently retired from Vienna High School after teaching there for more than 30 years. She will take over the full-time city clerk position from Karen Dudenhoeffer, who gave her resignation notice earlier this year.

“It’s an honor to have been selected as the Vienna city clerk, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to serve the community in this capacity,” Combs wrote in an email.

Later, the aldermen approved a tentative agreement with the Maries County Sheriff’s Posse to rent the horse arena at the city park for its rodeo on May 24 and May 25.

Utilities Superintendent Shon Westart said during the meeting that the posse had contacted him to ask about using the horse arena for its rodeo. Originally, the posse intended to use the derby track at the Maries County Fairgrounds, but construction stemming from a grant the Maries County Fair Board received from the Missouri Department of Agriculture will prevent that from happening.

Westart said he did not want the city to allow parking on the grass at the park. Vehicles parked at the softball field should be on the gravel.

City officials agreed that it is too early in the year to allow parking in the grass, especially during the spring when there is a higher chance for rain. Westart said he would tape off the grass to prevent parking on it.

Mayor Tim Schell asked if the city should put permanent signs up to let people know that there is no parking on the grass.

Westart said the city could use those signs like the signs on the walking trail at the park.

“As long as they follow the rules, I have no problem letting them use it,” Alderman Chuck Davis said. He motioned for the city to allow the sheriff’s posse to use the horse arena if it provided proof of insurance and followed the same rules as any other group renting the horse arena.

In January, the city adopted a new rental agreement for the horse arena. The rental agreement includes a $150 deposit and requirements that the renter lock the gates and turn off the lights at night. Renters must also ensure that no one leaves animals unattended at the arena overnight. Failure to comply with these and other rules will result in forfeiture of the deposit and the potential for additional fees to accrue.

The aldermen passed two other unanimous votes during the meeting. They voted to increase the number of summer workers from two to four. They also voted to charge the Maries R-1 School District $125 per game for use of the ballfields at the park.

Talk of charging the school for use of the ballfields began during the February meeting when the board discussed the cost of maintaining the fields and running the lights. The aldermen sent a letter to the district to let them know the city’s intention. Although representatives from the city and school district intended to attend the most recent meetings of the other board, no one could attend either meeting.

Also at the meeting, Davis asked if businesses had turned in paperwork for licenses. At the February meeting, Dudenhoeffer informed city officials that less than half of the city’s 68 businesses had renewed their licenses. The city sent notice to the unlicensed businesses and set a deadline for the end of February before it took further action.

Schell said he had signed many business licenses since the discussion in February.

“They’re slowly coming through,” he said.