Weekend debate event expected to bring $30,000 to local businesses
Weekend debate event expected to bring $30,000 to local businesses
This weekend the Nevada High School will host the largest high school forensics tournament in Missouri.
This event which brings about 1,000 students from all over Missouri as well as Fort Scott, Kan., and Fayetteville, Ark., to Nevada has a major impact on area motels and restaurants at a time when usage is low, Pat Chambers, IMPACT Nevada Tourism chairman, told the Nevada City Council during Tuesday nights council meeting.
Participants in this tournament spend about $30,000 in local motels and restaurants, Sean Nicewaner, Nevada High School debate sponsor, told members of IMPACT Nevada Tourism on December 18 when he made a request for a tourism grant to help pay for the event.
Chambers, who spoke to the council during the time set aside for public participation, told the council that due to the holidays they were unable to get their grant recommendations on the agenda for Tuesday's meeting and he requested the council consider their recommendations during Tuesday's meeting so the $1,100 grant for the forensics tournament could be awarded this week.
Craig Hubler, city manager, told Chambers that there was a regular procedure for the council to follow, however, he had an alternate solution to the problem.
"I can appropriate the money from the general fund for the forensics tournament so you won't be rushed and it can be put on the agenda at the regular time," Hubler told the council.
Then when the council approves the grants recommended by IMPACT Nevada, the general fund would be reimbursed with money from the tourism tax, Hubler said.
"This will let you be consistent with council policy," Hubler said, before the council voted unanimously to approve Hubler's suggestion.
The council will consider the ordinance approving all seven tourism grants during the Jan. 19 meeting.
In other business the council:
* Approved the appointment of Andy McCullough to a four-year term on the Nevada Planning Commission replacing Fred Pettibon. His term will expire in October 2007.
* Approved the reappointment of Brian Leonard and Jeff Tweten to four-year terms on the Nevada Planning Commission. Both terms will expire in October 2007.
* Voted 3-2 to accept the low bid from Waste Corporation of Missouri to provide trash service for three months for a monthly cost of $440, with a review at the end of three months to see if they fulfill their obligations satisfactorily. Council members Mike Straight and Marie Wessley voted against accepting Waste Corporations bid, saying that they preferred contracting with Shawn's Trash Service, Nevada, for $541.67 per month, because he had provided good service for the last year and it was a local company. Council members Brian Leonard, Bill Edmonds and Tim Moore said that they could not justify spending an extra $100 per month as long as Waste Corporation's service will be reviewed in three months.
* Gave final approval to an ordinance setting taxi cab rates in the city limits for reimbursement under the city's taxi coupon program.
* Passed on second reading an ordinance bringing the city open meetings regulations into agreement with the states Sunshine Law requirements.
* Passed on second reading an ordinance approving taxi operators, Don and Pat Meisenheimer, Karen Short and Michael Hutchens to receive payments from Nevada's taxi coupon program.
* Passed on second reading an ordinance approving an agreement with the Vernon County Ambulance District to operate a van to provide subsidized transportation for disabled persons under the city's taxi coupon program.
* Gave final approval to an ordinance to allow Nevada police officers to live anywhere in Vernon County.
* Approved a liquor license for Tim's Convenience Store, Inc., 320 North Osage. The liquor license will allow the sale of beer and wine coolers with no more than five- percent alcohol.
* Approved a taxi occupation for Robert Colopy who will be providing taxi service through MNOD Taxi Service.
* Passed on first reading an ordinance from Mike McKinney conveying the ownership of a sanitary sewer main extension running to the new Missouri state office building on Highland Street .
* Adopted Resolution No. 1058 authorizing the city to accept a $250,000 STAR loan through the Missouri Transportation Finance Corporation for part of the improvements at the municipal airport. This loan can be used for part of the costs of the new terminal building or additional hanger space for corporate aircraft at the airport. These improvements will assist Precision Aero Services in locating a facility in Nevada.
* Passed on first reading Resolution No. 1058 verifying the receipt of a petition from Heartland Hospital requesting that the city annex a piece of their property into the city limits.
A public hearing and the first reading of the enabling legislation will be conducted during the Jan. 20 city council meeting.
Extending the city limits to include this property will then allow the city to annex a 20-acre piece of property owned by Dean Stutesman that borders this property.
The city does not usually annex property that is not contiguous to the city limits. Stutesman wants to construct a housing development on this property and wants it to be inside the city limits so the houses can be connected to the city sewer system.