JOURNAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL                   Special Session –    August 28, 2007

                                                                                                                       

COUNCIL & STAFF PRESENT:

 

Martha Rowe                         Mayor Pro Tem

Tom Mayer                             Council Member

Jill McCord                             Council Member

Aaron Rodgerson                 Council Member

Howard Hickman                  City Attorney

Mari Macomber                     City Manager

Sarah Halstead                     Deputy City Clerk

Paul Frazier                           Code Administrator

Brad Selby                             Code Administrator

Laura Guy                              Finance Director

 

Absent:  Jeff Newton, Mayor

 

The City Council of the City of Kirksville, Missouri, met in a Special Session on Tuesday, August 28, 2007, at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers.

 

INVOCATION/PLEDGE

The Mayor and City Council led the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

MINUTES

Council Member McCord moved to approve the minutes of the regular session of August 21, 2007; seconded by Council Member Mayer.  The motion carried by the following vote:  Mayor Pro Tem Rowe – aye; Council Members:  Mayer – aye; McCord – aye; Rodgerson – aye.  Mayor Newton – absent.  Nays – none.

 

 

ORDER OF AGENDA

City Manager Macomber reminded the Council that they will adjourn to a Study Session at the end of the Special Council Meeting.

 

Council Member McCord moved to approve the agenda; seconded by Council Member Rodgerson.  The motion carried by the following vote:  Mayor Pro Tem Rowe – aye; Council Members:  Mayer – aye; McCord – aye; Rodgerson – aye.  Mayor Newton – absent.  Nays – none.

 

 

INFORMATION PRESENTATION

Mayor Pro Tem Rowe opened the public hearing to hear citizen comments regarding the 2007 Tax Levy at 5:35p.m.

 

Finance Director Laura Guy stated that the Tax Levy is an annual requirement by State Statute, and must be done by August 31st in order to take effect for that fiscal year.  Guy recommended that the 2007 Tax Levy be reduced a little over a penny from the 2006 Tax Levy to $.6393.  Guy stated that the City’s assessed valuation for realty for Kirksville properties went up in 2007, but under State Statutes the City must remain revenue neutral, which causes the decrease in the tax levy.  Guy said that the State Auditors have a formula that takes new construction out of the equation to get the Levy back to where it was at the previous year.  Guy also stated that the Auditor’s office allows the City to adjust revenues by the consumer price index for the year.

 

Mayor Pro Tem Rowe asked if there were any questions from the Council or the Citizens, and there were none. 

 

There being no further comments, Mayor Pro Tem Rowe closed the public hearing at 5:38p.m.

 

CITIZEN PARTICIPATION

Justin Puckett, 108 W. Harrison:  Mr. Puckett wanted to commend the City Council, the TIF District, and many of the Downtown Partners for the work that has been done in the past ten years in the Downtown District.  Mr. Puckett pointed out several things that have been done since he’s been in Kirksville to produce a more admirable Downtown area.  Puckett expressed that as a property owner in the Downtown District he is very grateful and thankful that the Council has continued to invest in the Downtown District.  Puckett stated that he knew in the next Study Session the Council would be speaking about Downtown Awnings.  Puckett stated that this topic, for one reason or another, has become somewhat of a contentious topic.  He then continued that he wants to refocus on the fact that if you talk to Downtown business owners and ask if they want to see Downtown Kirksville move forward there is a resounding yes.  Puckett hopes that as they move forward, that the business and property owners will work together to move in the right direction.  Puckett stated that some of the businesses have metal covered facades, and do not have the resources to move forward on the fronts of their building facades.  Puckett said that their existing awning style may actually match the facade program.  Puckett stated that as a reference his building, the Old Stone Creations building, has the 1920’s art deco style with a 1970’s awning.  He plans to remove and replace the awning to enhance the building and bring it back to its 1920’s historic preservation point.  Puckett said that he hopes the Council helps those planning to remove their awnings to find answers about removing the awnings and whose responsibility it is. 

 

Council Member Rodgerson asked if Puckett knew a concrete number of how many other business owners plan to take down their awnings

 

Puckett stated that he knows of two others that have plans already in place, and that they may share in the cost to have them removed.  He said there are several others that are a maybe.  He said that since 2001 he has been involved with this issue and there have been meetings where everyone wants them down, where other times there are a lot of people undecided waiting to see what will be done.

 

City Manager Macomber asked if the group discussions he was speaking of were discussions of the Downtown owners and the KDIC.

 

Puckett confirmed that yes, those were the groups, and when work was being done on the 2004 Design Guidelines there was some discussion of the awnings.  He stated that the awnings were something that went forward as a part of the 2004 Design Guidelines, and was approved by those groups at that point.

 

Council Member McCord asked when Puckett’s building was built.

 

Puckett said that he was not sure, and does not have any historical information on many of the buildings in the Downtown.  He stated there are no good photos of anything before the 1960’s.  There are some in the 1800’s but that was before most sides of the square burned.  He stated that because of the style, they are guessing it was built some time in the 1920’s.

 

McCord stated that Mr. Puckett may be interested in a pictorial book from 1900 that is available at the Chamber that might have some information.

 

Puckett stated that he had seen the book, but that it was the previous building, not his.

 

OLD BUSINESS

None.

 

ACTION PRESENTATIONS

BILL NO. 2007-37                                                                           [Ordinance No. 11806 ]

AN ORDINANCE LEVYING TAXES AND ESTABLISHING PROPERTY TAX RATES FOR CITY PURPOSES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2007.

 

Council Member Rodgerson moved to adopt Bill No. 2007-37 on first reading; seconded by Council Member Mayer.  The motion carried by the following vote:  Mayor Pro Tem Rowe – aye; Council Members:  Mayer – aye; McCord – aye; Rodgerson – aye.  Mayor Newton – absent.  Nays – none.

 

Liquor Licenses—Olmeca, Inc. d/b/a El Vaquero

Council Member Mayer moved to approve the liquor licenses for Omeca, Inc. d/b/a El Vaquero; seconded my Council Member McCord

 

Finance Director Guy stated that this business has a current license, but has recently changed location which requires Council approval.  Guy said there will be no additional fees.

 

City Manager Macomber asked if the business still had to get the State’s license once they get the City’s license approved.

 

Code Administrator, Paul Frazier, said that Stan East, Building Inspector, had been to the business location that morning, and that East had given them the all clear.  Frazier stated that at this point there was some housekeeping that the County Health Department was requiring.  The Health Department was scheduled to visit the restaurant the following morning, but Frazier felt that it would be taken care of.  Frazier stated that there was nothing to prohibit occupancy, but the restaurant would have to wait on the Health Department’s approval. 

 

Macomber stated that the restaurant’s intent was to open for lunch after the Health Department visit, if they could get all of the requirements completed.

 

The motion carried by the following vote:  Mayor Pro Tem Rowe – aye; Council Members:  Mayer – aye; McCord – aye; Rodgerson – nay.  Mayor Newton – absent.  Ayes – three; Nays – one.

 

Second Reading

BILL NO. 2007-37                                                                           [Ordinance No. 11806 ]

AN ORDINANCE LEVYING TAXES AND ESTABLISHING PROPERTY TAX RATES FOR CITY PURPOSES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2007.

 

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KIRKSVILLE, MISSOURI, AS FOLLOWS:

 

SECTION I.  For the purpose of providing for the expenditures for the fiscal year 2007, it is hereby determined that the tax rate required to generate revenues needed from ad valorem taxes for the General Operating Fund is as follows:

 

                  FUND                               LEVY

          General Operating             $.6393

                                                  

SECTION II.  This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage by the City Council of the City of Kirksville.

 

Council Member Rodgerson moved to adopt Bill No. 2007-37 on second reading; seconded by Council Member Mayer.  The motion carried by the following vote:  Mayor Pro Tem Rowe – aye; Council Members: Mayer – aye; McCord – aye; Rodgerson – aye.  Mayor Newton – absent.  Nays – none. 

 

Council Comments

None.

 

Adjournment  to a Study  Session

Councilmember McCord moved to adjourn to a Study Session; seconded by Councilmember Rodgerson.  The motion carried by the following vote:  Mayor Pro Tem Rowe – aye; Council Members:  Mayer – aye; McCord – aye; Rodgerson – aye.  Mayor Newton – absent; Nays – none.

 

Mayor Pro Tem Rowe adjourned the meeting to a Study Session at 5:45p.m.

 

Sarah Halstead

Deputy City Clerk