Minutes-June 21, 2011

The Board of Aldermen held a meeting on Tuesday night June 21, 2011 at 7:00 PM.  Those present included Mayor Greg Richmond, Alderpersons Keith Kohley, Kristin Lett, JR Fisher and Bill Hess. Also present were City Supervisor David Brodie, City Clerk Paula Brodie and Officer Curt Drake. Guests included Jim Westcott, Bev Wescott, Terry Wescott, Kim Kozlowski, Ryan Kozlowski Carson Bunch, Marshall Long, Calvin Wilson, Jimmie Morgan and Jesse Ruby. Guests included Amye Buckley, Neosho Daily News and Joyce Haynes from the McDonald County Press.  

The Mayor called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. 

The Board of Aldermen discussed the minutes from June 7, 2011. Ald Fisher moved to approve the minutes from June 7, 2011. Ald Kohley seconded. Aldermen Hess, Kohley, Lett, and Fisher voted aye, with 0 nays.  

The Board of Aldermen discussed the minutes from the special meeting on June 14, 2011. Ald Kohley moved to approve the minutes from June 14, 2011. Ald Hess seconded. Aldermen Hess, Kohley, Lett, and Fisher voted aye, with 0 nays.  

The Mayor acknowledged James Wescott who requested a variance to set a double-wide trailer at 105 W. Garner. It was noted that he would be replacing a double-wide that burned recently at that location. Mr. Wescott showed the Board a picture of the double-wide that they are buying. He told the Board that he had purchased a demolition permit and that Jimmie Morgan is in the process of tearing down and removing the burned out trailer. Ald Fisher moved to approve the variance. Ald Kohley seconded 4 ayes, 0 nays. 

The Board held a Public hearing for comments on the McDonald County Hazard Mitigation Plan. The Clerk explained how the plan was put together. She noted that Harry S Truman Coordinating Council had been hired through a grant by Jasper, Newton and McDonald County to help draw up their Hazard Mitigation Plan which is required by FEMA. She noted that the City of Goodman is included in the McDonald County plan as all the cities in the county were. She noted that they have been working on the plan since March of 2010. She stated that there were 4 items on the City’s action plan at this time. They were as follows: Install a generator at the main well, continue compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program, look into adopting the International Building Code and International Residential Code into the City’s Code book, and to educate the community on how to respond to emergencies, such as tornados, ice storms, flue season, etc. Ald Kohley asked that the Board add implementing the IRIS program as another action in the City’s plan. The Board agreed to the Action plan including adding the implementation of the IRIS program. The Board asked the Clerk to contact Greg Sweeten to see if he could attend the next Board meeting to talk with them about the IRIS program. There were no other comments from the public. 

The Mayor noted that Callie Hudson was not present yet so the Board would move her down farther on the agenda. 

The Board discussed Bill# 2012-424 for Ordinance # 2012-434 regarding changes to the personnel policy. The Mayor read the Ordinance for the first reading by title only. Ald Fisher moved to approve the first reading of Bill # 2012-242 for Ordinance #2012-434. Ald Lett seconded. Ald Hess, Kohley, Fisher and Lett voted aye with 0 nays. 

The Board discussed the need to replace Jennifer Simpson who cleaned the City Hall. It was noted that she had turned in her resignation due to personnel reasons. The Board decided that if anyone was interested in the job they could contact city hall. 

The Board of Aldermen discussed the following old business: 

                  1. The Board discussed Jesse Ruby’s water problem. Ald. Fisher asked if there was an existing easement across the property. David stated no that it was an agreement made by the landowners and allowed by the Board of Alderman.  Ald Lett stated that she was still indecisive. Ald Hess stated that he would like to know what the Board had discussed with their attorney during the closed session before he made any decisions. The Mayor suggested tabling any decision until the next meeting. He stated that he would talk with Ald Hess prior to that meeting to inform him about the discussion from the closed session. 

                  2.  The Board noted that the 60 days were up that they had given Joshua Bradford to clean up his property. Ald Fisher stated that Mr. Bradford has moved the vehicles, but that he had been slowed up with finishing the cleanup because he had been in the tornado in Joplin. Ald Lett moved to allow Mr. Bradford at 113 E. Stites a 30 day extension. Ald Fisher seconded. Ald Hess, Kohley, Lett and Fisher voted aye with 0 nays.   

                  3.  The Board discussed the electric hookups for generators at Police Station and City Hall. Ald Fisher stated he was still waiting for a bid from Crane. He asked the board to table their decision until the next meeting so that they could give him a bid.  Ald Hess asked if the Board would get into trouble if they had already opened previous bids and then asked for more bids. It was noted that the bid from Gilliam Electric was in previous minutes. The Board agreed to table any decisions until the next meeting.

                   4.  The Board discussed annexing 59 Highway and B/C Highway to Gator Road. Former Mayor Calvin Wilson stated that a couple of years ago he sent out letters to the landowners along 59 Highway asking if they had any objection to the city’s annexing the highway. He stated that he only received 5 responses back. The Board agreed to proceed with the 59 Highway annexation. The Mayor stated that they would need to see where they were in the annexation procedure.

 9.     Department head reports:

 Tom West- on vacation.

David Brodie – Informed the Board of the need for a backflow preventer to be installed on a fire hydrant because there were people who purchase water from the city by hauling it with tankers. He said that per the Department of Natural Resources a backflow preventer needs to be installed to keep impurities from flowing from the tanks back into the City’s water system. David stated that if the Board wanted to keep allowing people to purchase the water that way a backflow preventer would have to be purchased. He stated that one the city could get would cost around $550.00. He also noted that if the backflow preventer was removed it would have be inspected every time it is put back on. If it is installed and left on the hydrant it only needs to be checked once a year.  He explained that the surrounding communities are requiring people to have back flow preventers themselves.  He noted that it is a convenience to the people; the city does not make a lot of money selling water that way. Ald Hess asked if the Board could not raise the rates to cover the expense for the backflow preventer. The Board of Aldermen tabled for further discussion.

David reported that the City of Goodman neon sign is out again. He said that the arrow is still on but the name is out.  He noted that a company in Springfield has worked on it before. It was noted that the sign was a piece of history. The Board agreed to allow him to have the sign looked at. The Board agreed to allow the Mayor to approve fixing the sign once he got the price quote from the sign company.

Dawn Bunch – not present. 

                           Paula Brodie-   Note letter for training class for Missouri Structural Assessment & Visual Evaluation. 

The Board of Aldermen discussed the following new business:

Carson Bunch asked if the bid for hooking up the generator was a sealed bid. Mr. Bunch stated once a bid is opened the Board should either approve it or reject it and then ask for it to be resubmitted. Mayor Richmond agreed that the Board should have handled the bid that way.

Ald Kohley stated that he had contacted Keith Stammer, Joplin’s Emergency Management Director to see what is needed to help with the cleanup of Joplin.  He said that Mr. Stammer said that they need water, leather gloves and safety glasses.  The Board discussed how to make a donation to the City of Joplin from the City of Goodman. Ald Fisher offered to get prices and purchase leather gloves and safety glasses for the Board to take to Joplin. Ald Kohley moved to a donation of $1,000.00 in the way of leather gloves, safety glasses, and water. Ald Lett seconded. Ald Kohley, Hess, Lett and Fisher voted aye and 0 nays. 

The Board discussed the bills for June 21, 2011 for $13,529.55 including transfers. Ald Fisher moved to approve the bills. Ald Kohley seconded. Aldermen Hess, Fisher, Kohley, and Lett voted aye with 0 nays. 

Ald Kohley moved to adjourn. Ald Fisher seconded. Aldermen Hess, Kohley, Fisher, and Lett voted aye with 0 nays.

                                                                                                __________________________

                                                                                                 Greg Richmond, Mayor

 

Attest:

______________________________

Paula W Brodie, MRCC, City Clerk

 

                                                                                                  Approved: ____________________

                                                                                                   Date: ________________