City approves bonds, moves ahead with Ozark project

The Nevada City Council voted on eight measures Tuesday night that will bring a lot of tax dollars back to Nevada as well as help bring hundreds of new jobs to town over the next two or three years.

"We've put some pretty good money back into Nevada tonight," council member Marie Wessley said at the end of Tuesday's council meeting.

"We've done about three million dollars in state Chapter 100 industrial revenue bonds," Wessley said.

The council also gave final approval to the $6 million renovation project to turn the Ozark building into a complex of 56 apartments meant for senior citizens.

To make this possible the council approved the two ordinances to allow the city to issue up to $1.7 million in Series 2003 taxable Industrial Revenue bonds for the Precision Industrial Development project as well as an additional two ordinances that would allow the city to issue up to $500,000 in Series 2003 taxable Industrial Revenue bonds for the InSite project and to issue up to $750,000 or Series 2003 taxable Industrial Revenue Bonds for the Green Forest project.

The city is not financially responsible for repaying the bonds if the companies should default.

The council also adopted Resolution No. 1054, which will let the city combine two $150,000 block grants from the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission to resurface the runways at the Nevada Municipal Airport. The resolution also extended the completion date for the project to December 31, 2004.

In other business the council:

* Accepted the bid from Vernon County Ready Mix for the city's 2004 concrete requirements. The bids were for the following items: 1,000 cubic yards of five-sack mix at $59.50 per cubic yard; 10 cubic yards of six-sack mix at $63 per cubic yard; 50 cubic yards of 8.5-sack mix at $71 per cubic yard; 75 cubic yards of 1 percent calcium at $2 per cubic yard; 100 cubic yards of 2 percent calcium at $3.50 per cubic yard and an undetermined quantity of fiber at $5 per cubic yard. The bid specifications require the delivery of the concrete within 30 minutes of the order.

* Approved an estimated blanket purchase order of $107,483 for 2004 rock needs from Ash Grove Aggregates.

* Approved the following purchases of water treatment plant chemicals for 2004 totaling $92,578:

MO Valley Environmental, 27,000 Pounds of. RO442 for $18,360; Brenntag Mid-South, 1,600 gallons C-5 for $8,728; Brenntag Mid-South, 150 tons caustic for $21,000; Brenntag Mid-South, 16,000 tons fluoride for $2,144; Harcross Chemicals, 300 tons acid for $26,346; G.S. Robins Co., 40,000 pounds of chlorine for $16,000.

* Received a petition from Heartland Hospital requesting the voluntary annexation into the city limits of a tract of property owned by Heartland. This is property that is being developed by Lou Stutesman as a residential area.

* Gave final approval to the 2004 city of Nevada budget.

* Gave final approval to the second amendment to the sale agreement with Cypress Groves Apartments, LP for approximately four acres of property encompassing the Ozark Building.

* Gave final approval to an ordinance changing the zoning on the old Wal-Mart building and property at 2101 E. Austin Blvd. from C-3, commercial to M-1, light industrial to allow Sutherland's Lumber to locate a lumber yard on that property. The city zoning requires that lumberyards be located on property zoned M-1. Sutherland's is planning on a 30-year lease on the property.

* Passed on first reading a general ordinance setting taxi rates at $4 for one adult for a one-way trip anywhere within the Nevada city limits. The ordinance also allows one child under six years old to accompany that adult at no charge. Each additional child accompanying an adult will be charged $1. The charge for package delivery, without a passenger will cost $4 for two or less packages to and from the same address. Passengers will not be charged extra for one or two packages. Passengers will be charged 25 cents for each additional package.

* Passed on first reading a general ordinance to bring the city's regulations concerning the public record fee schedule for Sunshine Law requests into compliance with state law by eliminating the fees from the city codes. Missouri's Sunshine Law requires that documents be provided at the cost of the copies and the research time to locate the requested documents.

The city's public record fee schedule is updated and approved with the city's annual budget.

* Passed on first reading a special ordinance approving qualification statements for independent taxi operators Don and Pat Meisenheimer, Karen Short and Michael Hutchens to be reimbursed $4 for each taxi coupon turned into the city. These qualification statements must be renewed annually.

* Passed on first reading a special ordinance approving the city subsidizing the Vernon County Ambulance District to operate a handicap accessible van for the city's taxi coupon program. The ordinance calls for the Ambulance District to be reimbursed $4 per taxi coupon for rides within the Nevada city limits and also pays the Ambulance District $1,000 per month to help off-set labor and insurance costs to operate the van. The van will also be available for the Ambulance District to provide general public transportation when it is not in use for the city's Fare Share program.

* Passed on first reading a special ordinance amending the 2004 city budget to reflect actual receipts for the year as well as actual expenses for the year.

* Received notices from the Nevada R-5 School District and Vernon County of a willingness to waive the normal 20 day notification period for development projects financed with Chapter 100 industrial revenue bonds. The projects included are the Precision Industrial Development plan and project, the Insite Industrial Development plan and project, the Green Forest Industrial Development plan and project.

State law requires that any affected taxing authority be given 20 days prior notice of the issuance of Chapter 100 bonds.

These bonds do impose any financial responsibility on the city of Nevada should the developer default.

* Adopted Resolution No. 1055 approving an estimated $96 in travel expenses for the Craig Hubler and Bill Edmonds to attend a homeland security summit convened by Congressman Ike Skelton on Jan. 26 in Warrensburg.

* Began discussions of designated meeting places for city boards and commissions. Hubler told the council that they want to be sure that meetings are held in places that are accessible to the public.