Notes on the November 10 City Council Agenda

First reading, Emergency and Second reading bills

The November 10 City Council Meeting Agenda is online.

The item suspected to draw the most attention from the public is:

Item 12. COUNCIL BILL 2008-339:

"A special ordinance calling an election on February 3, 2009 in the City of Springfield, Missouri, to submit to the qualified voters a question as to whether or not to institute a one-cent sales tax on retail sales within the City of Springfield, Missouri, for the purpose of providing revenues for the Springfield Police and Firefighters Pension System, providing for a sunset on the tax at the earlier of either the end of five years from the date of commencement of the tax or the Pension Fund reaching a fully-funded status, and declaring an emergency."

The bill has been declared an emergency but is not anticipated to be voted on Monday night, instead, it is listed as a first reading bill.

The proposed ballot language for the February election is:

"Shall the City of Springfield impose a sales tax at a rate of 1 percent solely for the purpose of providing revenues for the Springfield Police and Firefighters Pension System with said tax to sunset upon the earlier of A) Five (5) years from the date of the commencement of collection of this tax or B) the Pension System fund reaching a fully-funded (100%) status as determined by an independent actuarial study conducted for the Pension System Board of Trustees?”

There is one emergency bill on the November 10 agenda:

15. COUNCIL BILL 2008-340. (Carlson) A special ordinance authorizing the City Manager, or his designee, to apply for and accept a Missouri Department of Economic Development Emergency Community Development Block Grant Fund grant for the purpose of acquiring, redeveloping and disposing of foreclosed/vacant properties, and to execute agreements and do all things necessary to carry out such grant; amending the budget provided for the Planning and Development Department of the City of Springfield, Missouri, for Fiscal Year 2008-2009 in the amount of $2,800,000.00; and declaring an emergency

Council will likely adopt the Internal Auditor's Policies and Procedures and approve the annual Audit Working Plan of April Lathrom. See Item 21. COUNCIL BILL 2008-322. If you would like more information on the Internal Auditor's Policies and Procedures, see Community Free Press (CFP) supplements to the print edition of October 22. There is also a summary update on page 4 of the October 22 editon of CFP.

Also up for vote tonight is COUNCIL BILL 2008-323, "a special ordinance authorizing the City Manager, or his designee, to appropriate $165,000 from the level property tax fund balance to construct a public parking lot at Jefferson Avenue and Phelps Street."

Council is expected to approve the reappointments of 4 members of the City Utilities board, Patrick Platter; Lisa Officer; Mark McNay; and Tom Finnie. The vote was divided at Tuesday's Committee of the Whole meeting. Councilman Doug Burlison and Council woman Cindy Rushefsky cast nay votes regarding Mr. Finnie, citing him as the source of many problems the city faces today. The other three members up for reappointment were unanimously approved for recommendation to the City Council by the Committee of the Whole.

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