The Board of Aldermen held a meeting on Tuesday night June 4, 2013 at 7:06 PM. Those present included Mayor Greg Richmond, Alderpersons Keith Kohley, Alice Kezar and Bill Hess. Also present were City Supervisor Davie Brodie, Chief Curt Drake, Emergency Management Director Denis Kolb, Tax Collector Dawn Bunch and City Clerk Paula Brodie. Guests included Carlton Lewis, JoAnn Bowzer, Steve Wimpey and Walter Jeffers. Also present was Bev Puckett from McDonald County Press and Kyle Hill from KURM Radio. Ald. Wilson was not present.
The Mayor called the meeting to order at 7:06 PM.
The Board of Aldermen discussed the minutes from the meeting on May 21, 2013. Ald. Hess moved to approve the minutes from May 21, 2013. Ald. Kohley seconded. Ald. Kohley, Hess, and Kezar voted aye with 0 nays.
The Board of Aldermen discussed the minutes from the special session on May 28, 2013. Ald. Kohley moved to approve the minutes from the special meeting May 28, 2013. Ald. Hess seconded. Ald. Hess, Kohley and Kezar voted aye with 0 nays.
The Board of Aldermen discussed the minutes from the Public Hearing held on May 30, 2013. Ald. Kezar moved to approve the minutes from the Public Hearing of May 30, 2013. Ald. Kohley seconded. Ald. Kohley, Kezar and Hess voted aye with 0 nays.
The Mayor acknowledged JoAnn Bowzer. Mrs. Bowzer was present to discuss the holding of a Farmers Market at her residence at 219 S. Ozark Trail. Mrs. Bowzer stated that her property was about 2 ½ acres. She stated that she felt that holding a farmers market would help the community, by giving people an outlet to sell their extra produce and hand made products. She noted that she had sent letters out to possible vendors asking them to participate in the Farmers Market. She proceeded to read the letter that she had sent out. It included the requirement to sign a release removing her of any obligation in case of an accident and the fee to participate was $10.00 monthly. She noted that she had a list of 20 vendors that she had mailed letters to. She stated that she did not understand why the Board would be against her organizing the Farmers Market. The Mayor stated that he did not think the Board was against her hosting a farmers market but that the problem was that her home is zoned residential. He said that it needed to be zoned as a business area to hold a farmers market. She noted that there is a Day Care right across from her residence. She stated that she did not understand what the difference was. She said there is not a store in Goodman where fresh vegetables can be purchased. She said she felt that she was offering a service to the community.
David Brodie asked her if she was asking for a zoning variance. She said she guess that is what she is asking for. It was noted that the zoning ordinance is very clear in how to go about changing zoned areas. It includes notifying all of her neighbors, running a notice in the paper for a public hearing, then holding of the public hearing and completing an ordinance change.
Mrs. Bowzer asked if there was any difference in holding a four or five family yard sale. She stated that besides the Farmers Market she thought they could arrange for special events to be ran in conjunction with the market.
Ald. Kohley stated that having the Farmers Market might bring more people into town and other businesses might benefit from them being in the community.
Ald. Hess stated that he liked the idea of the Farmers Market, if it was done in the right way. He asked again about her having the vendors sign off in regards to holding her responsible for accidents. He was concerned about if she wasn’t responsible who would be. She noted that she did have home owners insurance that would probably cover anyone getting hurt. It was said that home owners insurance would probably not cover any accidents that would occur during the farmers market.
The Clerk stated that she was concerned about the Board’s approving of a Farmers Market in a residential area, because other residents had asked to be allowed to have a business in other residential areas and had been told no. There was also the problem of the businesses being in competition with established businesses in town. She noted that she thought sales taxes would have to be collected for anything other than the produce.
Mrs. Bowzer asked how many days could she hold a yard sale. She was told the ordinance allows 10 days a year. She stated that if she only held the Farmers Market every other week that would take them through the summer.
David asked why the Board couldn’t allow her to hold the Farmers Market as a yard sale, seeing if there is a good response and if so looking into issuing a variance at a later date or looking into a better place to hold it next year. The Board agreed to allow her to hold the Farmers Market as a yard sale to see how it is received. They agreed to discuss it again at a later date after seeing how it worked out.
Carlton Lewis asked why something could not be done about the speeders on School St., Garner and Splitlog. Mr. Lewis stated that tickets need to be issued. Chief Drake said that when people see him they slow down and then he can’t write them a ticket. Mr. Lewis asked if he could file complaints himself. Chief Drake stated that Mr. Lewis as the person who sees the act can file the charge and then he would be the cities witness when the case went to court. Mr. Lewis would be required to write out a complaint and then an information would be filed by the prosecutor for C and I.
Walter Jeffers said that he understood what Curt was saying. He said when Curt is out there people automatically slowed down. Mr. Jeffers noted that he had recently been in front of his home and was almost run down by someone speeding.
The Mayor informed the people present that the Board had hired a new officer and that he will be starting soon. He stated that Curt is only one man and that he will talk with him about what the Board can do to help him cover areas and times better. He noted having the new officer will help with alleviating some of the problem.
The Mayor asked if anyone else had business with the Board. There was none
The Board began the business section of the meeting starting with unfinished business.
The Mayor stated that the Board needed to vote on resolution 2013-0002 for the Community Development Block Grant Application for the Post Emergency Shelter/Community Building. He noted that the resolution approves the applying for the grant and his signing of all of the paper work entailed in the grant application.
Mrs. Bowzer asked if the building was already built and was it going to be a storm shelter. The Mayor stated that the building was already built but was not finished inside. He noted that it is not a storm shelter but a post emergency shelter. The Mayor stated it would be used by the citizens, the people from the surrounding area and emergency responders working during a disaster. To clarify he stated that the shelter would be used for a temporary place for people to be fed, given a chance to warm up, shower and rest. It would not be a long term facility for people to live in but a short term facility until they could find other places to stay.
Ald. Kezar moved to approve Resolution 2013-0002 declaring the City’s intent to apply for a CDBG grant for the Post Emergency Shelter/Community Building and approving the Mayor’s signing of the resolution and any other forms needed for the application. Ald. Kohley seconded. Ald. Hess, Kohley and Kezar voted aye with 0 nays.
Ald. Hess moved to allow the clerk to send out letters to solicit for project administrators and architects to finish the final plans and specifications and to have the responses returned and decided on at the meeting on June 18th. Ald. Kohley seconded. Ald. Hess, Kohley and Kezar voted aye with 0 nays. The responses should be received by Monday June 17, at 4:00PM.
The Board discussed the outdoor announcement cabinet that they had asked David to look into. David reported that the Board could order one in landscape or portrait. He suggested not getting one bigger than an 18” by 24” because of the place where it needs to be installed. He said that he thought that there is not enough room for a bigger one. He said that it will have a corked back, break resistant glass and water proofed. He stated that the total price would be $245.00. David stated that he had seen one like he was recommending at the Health Department in Pineville. He said he felt it was what the city needed and would work best. He said that they could get it in 12 to 15 business days. The Board agreed to table a decision until the next meeting.
The Board discussed the job descriptions that were drawn up for the City Employees and the Recreation Board Director. The Mayor noted that the Board once agreeing on the descriptions should vote to include them into the personnel policy, so that future employees would have a description of their prospective jobs.
Ald. Hess moved to approve the job descriptions and the including of them with the personnel policies. Ald. Kohley seconded. Ald. Kohley, Hess and Kezar voted aye with 0 nays.
The Board discussed the following new business. Mrs. Bowzer stated that prior to the meeting they had been talking about the need to have people register their storm shelters. She asked if the Board couldn’t put it on the water bills to have people register their shelters and basements at the city hall. After discussion Keith and Dennis agreed to drawing up a registration form and to going out to people’s homes to help them get their latitude and longitude coordinate. A notice will be placed on the water bills.
The Department heads gave the following reports:
a. Chief Drake stated that the steps to the patrol truck were at the Chrysler dealership but after getting them the service department said it would cost $190.00 to install them. There was some discussion on buying them elsewhere but Curt said that he had priced them elsewhere and they were higher and as the truck is under warranty by Chrysler he thought it would be better to purchase them from the dealer. The Mayor stated that the reason for the steps was for safety when getting prisoners in and out of the truck and therefore he felt the Board should approve the purchase. Ald. Kohley moved to have them installed by Smith Auto Group for $190.00 installation fee. Ald. Hess seconded. Ald. Hess, Kohley and Kezar voted aye with 0 nays.
Curt noted that he had asked for help from the McDonald County Sheriff’s office since he was the only one on duty and that he wanted the Board to know that they have been very helpful. He said he would talk to Troop D to see if they could arrange to have a trooper help with the problem of the speeding in town.
b. David stated that he had looked into the price and kind of dissolved oxygen meter that was needed to do more accurate testing at the treatment plant. He informed the Board that the draft permit from the Department of Natural Resources shows that they have made changes on the limits allowed in the plant and that they are more stringent then in the past. He said that this was not unusual but that it will be harder to keep things in compliance. He noted that for parts of the permit they will give a two year grace period to come into compliance. He said he talked to one of the DNR instructors and they recommended purchasing one that runs on light. He noted that the meter needed to be more accurate to do more accurate testing. He stated that the cost difference between the two kinds of meters is around $300.00. He said that the one he needs is $1500.00 and up. He noted that the one he wanted reads quickly and has low maintenance. He stated that the cost was $1700.00.
David reported that he had written DNR regarding the concerns he had about maintaining the new levels.
Ald. Hess moved to approve the purchase of the Dissolved Oxygen Meter for $1700.00. Ald. Kezar seconded. Ald. Kezar, Kohley and Hess voted aye with 0 nays.
c. Denis Kolb. Stated he had nothing to report. The Mayor stated that he appreciated the Emergency Management Department. He said he knew that because of the storms in the past week that they had been in service a lot and he appreciated it.
d. Dawn Bunch’s monthly report was in the packets.
e. Paula Brodie. Told the Board that she had given them print outs of new statute changes; a list of homes that had high weeds and would be receiving letters to mow and clean up and that she had Tom’s Plaque ready to order.
The Mayor read a letter of support for the CDBG grant application from Clair McCaskill and noted that Senator David Sater had sent one too. The clerk noted that a title search needed to be done on the land that the Community Building is on and the results have to be enclosed with the application so she had contacted McDonald County title and Escrow to do the title search.
Ald. Kohley asked David to look into the concrete storm drains that are clogged around town. He said that during the rains there was a lot of water drainage on streets.
The Board discussed the bills including transfers in the amount of $19,860.92. Ald. Hess moved to approve the bills including transfers in the amount of $19,860.92. Ald. Kohley seconded. Ald. Kohley, Hess and Kezar voted aye with 0 nays.
Ald. Kohley moved to adjourn. Ald. Hess seconded. Ald. Kohley, Hess and Kezar voted aye with 0 nays.