Council looks to extend transportation sales tax

When Nevada voters first approved the city's 1/2-cent transportation sales tax in 1996, many of the city's streets were in poor shape. Since then the city has rebuilt 322 blocks of city streets with money from the sales tax and an additional 43 blocks that were partially paid for with other grant funds.

Tuesday night, the Nevada City Council voted unanimously to pass on first reading a special ordinance placing the renewal of the 1/2-cent transportation sales tax on the August ballot and increasing the minimum amount to be spent on street construction from $400,000 to $500,000. The tax, which runs for five years, was first renewed in 2001.

During that 10 years the city has spent on average $400,000 per year for street construction projects, with the remaining transportation tax money going for street maintenance. The 1/2-cent tax currently brings in about $700,000 per year.

"We've had a lot of great comments and not many complaints," said Ben Mendenhall, who has chaired the street committee which oversees the street construction projects, since it was started.

Mendenhall told the council that in 2005 the city was not able to complete as many blocks as they would have liked because the cost of curbing and asphalt has increased by about 30 percent.

"When we started rebuilding streets curbing cost $6 per foot, now it is $18 per foot," he said.

When the street committee starts considering what streets are to be rebuilt they talk to Joe Charles, head of the public works department, and look at the amount of traffic, the businesses located on the street and the neighborhood, he told the council.

Councilman Russ Kemm said that he is concerned that Nevada's tax base is rather high and the county will need to address some law enforcement needs in the future.

"I am also concerned about how high our sales taxes are," councilman Dick Meyers said, adding that the city does need to be sensitive to the county's law and enforcement sales tax proposal.

"However, this speaks for itself," he said.

Mendenhall told the council that the city gets more benefit from the 1/2-cent transportation tax than any other tax. It makes the city look better.

"An election gives the people a choice," he said.

In other business the council:

* Approved paying Layne Western $8,968 for emergency repairs to Nevada's deep well No. 4. The pump failed on March 31 while in operation and it was determined that the problem was an equipment failure in the well. Layne Western, which the city has a service agreement with, was contacted to perform the emergency repairs. When the pump was pulled the electric cable to the pump was found to be the cause of the failure. The fee is for pulling the pump, replacing the cable, restoring some damaged pipe threads and labor for pulling and replacing the pump.

* Voted to approve spending $2,500 to pay approximately one-half of the cost of the annual Fourth of July Fireworks Display sponsored by Nevada Firefighter's Local No. 3032.

* Postponed until the May 2 council meeting consideration of a waiver from the city's prohibition of selling fireworks inside the city limits. The Nevada Dirt Dawgs wanted to sell fireworks at the Century Six Cinema as a fund-raising event. The council wanted to review the current ordinances governing fireworks sales inside the city limits. Jane Novak told the council that her preference was for the city council to change the city ordinances to permit a specified number of permits to be issued with strict requirements concerning locations, parking lot sizes and proximity to fire hydrants. Nevada Police Chief Christine Keim told the council that she was concerned that the firework stand would be selling fireworks that are illegal to use inside the city limits.

* Passed on first reading a special ordinance approving a service agreement with Micro-Comm Digital Control Technology for water tower services.

* Passed on first reading a special ordinance approving an amendment to authorization No. 8 on the preliminary wastewater treatment plant design by Burns & McDonnell. Based on soil studies at the original proposed location for the wastewater plant, Burns & McDonnell have determined that the plant needs to be placed at a different location on the 40-acre site. The new location will require additional engineering costs raising the estimated price for the preliminary engineering design to $158,000. The original estimate was $140,800. The agreement gives the engineer 180 days to complete the design from the date that the agreement receives final approval.

* Passed on first reading a special ordinance accepting the dedication of Webster Street from Hickory to Ashland streets, in Ashland Estates, by Stutesman Realty, Inc.

* Passed on first reading a special ordinance approving a mutual aid agreement between the Lamar Fire Department and the Nevada Fire Department.

* Adopted Resolution No. 1154 to sponsor an application for a $21,800 Emergency Shelter Grant from the Missouri Department of Social Services/Division of Family Services on behalf of the Council on Families in Crisis. This grant provides a portion of the operational costs for the Moss House, which serves victims of domestic violence. In 2005, the Moss House provided shelter for 138 women and 115 children, as well as answering 407 hotline calls. 1,247 hours of case management and assisted 107 women with court advocacy.

* Gave final approval to a special ordinance approving a mutual aid agreement between the Milo Fire Department and the city of Nevada.

* Passed on second reading a special ordinance approving a mutual aid agreement between the Compton Junction Fire District and the city of Nevada.

* Passed on second reading a special ordinance approving a lease agreement with Young Iron & Metal, Inc. for a trailer used in the city's recycling program.

* Passed on second reading a special ordinance approving an agreement with SBC for local telephone service for all of the city buildings, except for the public safety building. The cost of the service is $697 per month or $8,300 annually. This is a savings of $1,200 per month from last year. When the city changed the telephone system in the public safety building to a VoIP system they dropped 28 SBC lines cutting the overall cost.

* Voted 5-0 to not renew a government affairs services agreement with Jorgen Schlemeier to provide lobbying services for the city of Nevada. The city has been paying Schlemeier $900 per month for this service. Councilman Bill Edmonds said that he had requested that Schlemeier come to a council meeting on a regular basis to provide the council reports on what he has done, and he has not done so yet.

* Voted 5-0 to postpone until the June 6 council meeting consideration of a special ordinance approving the city's annual agreement with Dennis Jones and Associates for maintenance on the city's finance computer system. The council requested that city finance director Ron Chandler see if any local computer companies can provide the needed service.

* Gave final approval to a special ordinance approving a contract for the Nevada Police Department to provide additional police services for the Nevada Housing Authority. The Nevada Housing Authority will pay the city up to $25,000 for these services.

* Passed on second reading an ordinance approving a service agreement with Guthrie Motors, Inc. for the repair of the city's vehicles.

* Passed on second reading an ordinance approving addendum No. 1 to the wrecker services agreement with Garwood Wrecker LLC. Garwood Wrecker informed the city that they do not wish to be included on the list of wrecker companies contacted to remove derelict vehicles.

* Passed on second reading a special ordinance approving a service agreement with Phillips Towing and Auto Sales, Inc. for wrecker services.

* Passed on second reading an ordinance approving an agreement with the Children's Center of West Central Missouri.

* Passed on second reading an ordinance approving an agreement with Bowman's Vernon County Title Company to provide services for the city of Nevada during 2006.

* Gave final approval to a special ordinance granting a special use permit to Bill Erwin for a 50-foot Internet tower at Stone Gate Addition, Lot 22.

* Postponed final consideration of a special ordinance approving an agreement with Challenger Sports Corporation to provide a youth soccer camp for the city of Nevada pending further information. Councilman Russ Kemm said that he was concerned about them holding a for-profit event in a city facility and not being charged for using the facility, while other organizations are charged a percentage of their income.

* Passed on second reading a special ordinance approving an agreement with Allgeier, Martin & Associates, Inc. for miscellaneous engineering services.