City calls on Nixon to sign sales tax bill

By Ralph Pokorny

Nevada Daily Mail

Historically, Missouri residents paid the sales tax on vehicles they purchased in their home towns, not where they purchased the vehicle. Recently this changed when the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that Missouri sales tax should not apply to out-of-state purchases.

This removed a significant amount of revenue from Missouri communities and also puts a significant number of auto dealerships at a competitive disadvantage with the eight states that border Missouri.

The Missouri Legislature recently passed House Bill No. 1329 restoring that tax collection on out-of-state purchased vehicles, but Gov. Jay Nixon has indicated he will veto the bill.

Tuesday night the Nevada City Council voted 4-0, with Sherry Steward excused, to adopt Resolution No. 1346 calling on Nixon to sign the bill.

In other business, the council voted 4-0 to accept the bid from MaxFire Solutions of $1,793 per set of firefighter turnout gear, or $10,780 for the six sets needed by the Nevada Fire Department. This equipment will replace gear that dates to 2003 and 2004. The useful life of this equipment ranges from four to seven years, depending on the use.

* Voted 4-0 to pass on first reading a general ordinance amending the city's personnel code to allow the hiring of family members as seasonal employees in the same department as long as they do not supervise each other. City Manager JD Kehrman told the council this measure particularly impacts the parks department.

* Voted 4-0 to pass on first reading a general ordinance to amend the city's personnel code to change the requirement of a new employee to file a W-4 form with the humane resources department instead of with the city clerk.

* Voted 4-0 to pass on first reading a general ordinance amending the city's personnel code to clarify that the city only pays vacation leave to employees who give two weeks notice before voluntarily ending employment with the city.

* Voted 4-0 to pass on first reading a general ordinance amending the city's personnel code to clarify that only retiring city employees are paid for any accrued sick leave. This is not paid for any other reason.

* Voted 4-0 to pass on first reading a general ordinance amending the city's personnel code to repeal the special police benefit of a housing expense reimbursement. This incentive was instituted when it was difficult to recruit and retain police officers. Kehrman told the council that it has not been used since 2003.

* Voted 4-0 to pass on first reading a special ordinance approving a contract with the Nevada Housing Authority for additional policing services. The cost of this contract will be paid by the Housing Authority.

* Voted 4-0 to give final approval to a special ordinance approving an agreement with Crockett Construction, Lamar, to repair a city sewer line under the intersection of Adams and Douglas streets that was damaged during the installation of an AT&T telephone line. AT&T will pay for the repairs.

* Voted 4-0 to pass on second reading a special ordinance approving a master agreement with Williams, Spurgeon, Kuhl & Freshnock Architects Inc, and approves the submission for architectural services for the programming phase of the public safety building design. The work will include a needs assessment, site analysis and schedule for the work, with a cost not to exceed $12,500.