NEW MELLE BOARD OF ALDERMEN MEETING

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 19, 2007

 

MINUTES

 

CALL TO ORDER – MAYOR JAN MUSKOPF CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AT 7:00 P.M.

ROLL CALL – ALDERMEN PRESENT:  TOM JOHNSON, DIANE ARTEAGA AND DARLA GREEN. ABSENT: DOUG BICE.  ALSO PRESENT: CITY ATTORNEY STEPHANIE KARR, POLICE CHIEF AARON BURKEMPER, FINANCIAL DIRECTOR RONNA ALANIZ, BOOKKEEPER JOANN DICKHERBER, CITY CLERK JUDY ANDERSON AND A FEW VISITORS.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE- RECITED

 

DIANNE DICKHERBER – NEW MELLE COMMUNITY CLUB – MS DICKHERBER SPOKE ABOUT THE CHANGES THAT HAVE RECENTLY OCCURRED AND OF FUTURE PLANS FOR THE ORGANIZATION, WHICH HAS CHANGED THEIR NAME TO” NEW MELLE SPORTS & RECREATION”. THEY ARE NO LONGER A CLUB, HAVE CHANGED TO A 501C3 TAX STATUS WITH THE FACILITY AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC WITH NO MEMBERSHIP DUES NOW BEING COLLECTED.  THIS STATUS WILL ENABLE THE ORGANIZATION TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR GRANTS AND TO ACCEPT TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC. THEY ARE PURCHASING 6 ACRES OF THE KARRENBROCK PROPERTY WHICH ADJOINS THEIR PROPERTY, WITH PLANS TO DEMOLISH THE BUILDINGS AND ADD BALL DIAMONDS AND A Ό ACRE PARK.  THEY WOULD LIKE FOR THE CITY TO WORK WITH THEM ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PARK.  OTHER PLANS INCLUDE REVAMPING THE HORESHOE BUILDING INTO BATTING CAGES,  PITCHING LESSONS WILL BE AVAILABLE AND IT WILL HAVE A RECREATION AREA FOR TEENS WHO WILL BE SUPERVISED AT ALL TIMES.  IN THE FUTURE, THE BUILDING NOW HOUSING THE CENTER WILL BE DEMOLISHED AND A BUILDING  WILL BE CONSTRUCTED TO SERVE AS A MULTI-PURPOSE GYM WITH BASKETBALL, A RUNNING TRACK AND OTHER ACTIVITIES SCHEDULED.  THE BOARD MEETING IS THE 2ND TUESDAY OF THE MONTH AND IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

 

MML CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS- CITY ATTORNEY AND FINANCIAL DIRECTOR – CITY ATTORNEY KARR SAID THEIR FIRM WAS A HOSPITALITY HOST WITH INFORMATION ON HOW TO ATTRACT RETAIL DEVELOPMENTS IN YOUR CITY.   MS KARR CONDUCTED A WORK SESSION ON MUNICIPAL CODE ENFORCEMENT FOR PUBLIC NUSICANCES AND BROUGHT HANDOUTS ON CASE-LAW, NEW MINIMUM WAGE LAW, PLANNING & ZONING INFORMATION, ENERGY AUDIT TO HELP CITIES SAVE MONEY AND INFORMATION ON WIND ENERGY.  SHE ALSO DISCUSSED NEW ACCOUNTING RULES AS THEY APPLY TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT WHICH WAS DEVELOPED BY THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD.  FINANCIAL DIRECTOR ALANIZ SAID SHE ATTENTED THE ACCOUNTING RULES SESSION AND A SESSION WHICH DISCUSSED EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS PLAN TO PROVIDE RETIREES WITH INSURANCE.

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES – AUGUST 15 AND SEPTEMBER 5, 2007 – ALDERMAN JOHNSON MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN GREEN TO APPROVE.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION PASSED 3-0.

FINANCIAL REPORT – AUGUST – REVIEWED WITH ALDERMAN GREEN MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN ARTEAGA TO APPROVE THE REPORT.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION CARRIED 3-0.

POLICE REPORT -   AUGUST- REVIEWED WITH ALDERMAN GREEN ASKING CHIEF BURKEMPER HOW MANY HOURS OFFICERS ARE PATROLLING THE CITY.  CHIEF BURKEMPER STATED THAT NOT AS MANY AS HE WOULD LIKE, THAT THEY HAVE LOST SOME OFFICERS BUT WILL BE PICKING UP NEW RESERVES FROM THE POLICE ACADEMY.  ALDERMAN GREEN ASKED ABOUT THE MISSING SPEED LIMIT SIGN ON HIGHWAY Z AND CHIEF BURKEMPER SAID THEY DO NOT STOP ANYONE IN THAT AREA.  HE HAS NOTIFIED THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT ABOUT THE MISSING SIGN; HOWEVER HE DOES NOT KNOW WHEN THEY WILL REPLACE THE SIGN.  CHIEF BURKEMPER REPORTED THAT THE NEW PATROL CAR WAS GETTING 16 MILES PER GALLON AS OPPOSED TO THE 8 MILES PER GALLON THE GRAY CAR GETS.  ALDERMAN JOHNSON ASKED ABOUT THE THIRD POLICE CAR. CHIEF BURKEMPER SAID IT WAS TRADED IN WITH A $1,500.00 TRADE-IN AMOUNT ALLOWED.

CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER REPORT – MAYOR MUSKOPF ASKED IF THE ALDERMEN WANTED THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER TO ATTEND MONTHLY MEETINGS. THE ALDERMAN AGREED THAT UNLESS THERE WAS A SPECIFIC PROBLEM THAT NEEDED ATTENTION, THEY DID NOT THINK IT WAS NECESSARY.  ALDERMAN GREEN ASKED ABOUT HIRING SOMEONE TO CUT LAWNS WHICH WERE NOT CUT AFTER SEVERAL NOTICES.  ATTORNEY KARR STATED THERE IS A MISSOURI STATUTE WHICH ALLOWS FOR CITIES TO ABATE A NUISANCE AND BILL THE PROPERTY OWNER.

 

OLD BUSINESS-

                STORAGE SHED DEMOLITION – DIANE ARTEAGA – ALDERMAN ARTEAGA INTRODUCED CHRISTINE BERRY WHO IS INTERESTED IN MOVING THE CITY STORAGE SHED TO ST CHARLES AND PERHAPS USING HISTORICAL TAX CREDITS FROM THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO REHAB THE BUILDING.  SHE WILL NEED TO MEET WITH THE MAYOR OF ST CHARLES TO FIND OUT IF THEY ARE INTERESTED IN THE BUILDING AND REPORT BACK TO THE ALDERMEN AT A LATER DATE.  SHE STATED THAT IF ST CHARLES ISN’T INTERESTED; SHE WOULD LIKE TO SALVAGE PARTS FROM THE HISTORIC BUILDING. THE BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1904 AND WAS THE FIRST BARBER SHOP IN NEW MELLE.  THE ALDERMEN WOULD LIKE THE BUILDING MOVED WITHIN SIX MONTHS OR SOONER.

 

NEW BUSINESS

                DAVID TUCKER – PRODUCE STAND- REVISED TEMPORARY USE PERMIT – THE BOARD REVIEWED THE REVISED TEMPORARY USE PERMIT APPLICATION WHICH WAS REQUESTING AN ADDITIONAL SIX MONTHS TIME ON THE TEMPORARY PERMIT.  SINCE THE TEMPORARY PERMIT HAD SEVEN MONTHS BEFORE EXPIRATION, THE BOARD AGREED THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE EXTENDED AT THIS TIME.  ALDERMAN GREEN MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN JOHNSON TO TABLE THE APPLICATION.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION WAS APPROVED 2-0.

                THE GREENWOOD GROUP – SPECIAL PERMISSION FOR GRAVEL IN STORAGE AREA – AFTER REVIEWING AND DISCUSSING THE PROPOSED AREA, ALDERMAN ARTEAGA MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN JOHNSON TO APPROVE THE REQUEST.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION PASSED 3-0.

                THE GREENWOOD GROUP – SITE PLAN APPROVAL –THE SITE PLAN WAS REVIEWED WITH MAYOR MUSKOPF STATING THAT THE PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION HAD APPROVED THE PLAN AT THEIR LAST MEETING.  ALDERMAN JOHNSON MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN GREEN TO APPROVE THE SITE PLAN. ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION CARRIED 3-0.

 

OPEN FORUM – DIANE DICKHERBER ASKED WHAT STEPS NEED TO BE TAKEN IN ORDER TO PROCEED WITH THE DEMOLITION OF BUILDINGS AND CONSTRUCTION OF BALL DIAMONDS ON THE PROPERTY NEW MELLE SPORTS & RECREATION HAD JUST PURCHASED.  SHE WAS TOLD TO CONTACT GEORGE BUTLER ENGINEERING FOR INFORMATION.

 

PAYMENT OF BILLS – BILLS WERE REVIEWED AND CHECKS SIGNED.

 

CLOSED SESSION – PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN CITY’S REPRESENTATIVES AND ITS ATTORNEYS (Sec. 610.021(1) RSMo) – ALDERMAN GREEN MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN JOHNSON TO MOVE INTO CLOSED SESSION.  ON A ROLL CALL VOTE THE MOTION CARRIED 3-0 AS FOLLOWS: AYES – ALDERMEN TOM JOHNSON, DARLA GREEN AND DIANE ARTEAGA. NAYS – 0.

 

OPEN SESSION – ALDERMAN GREEN MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN JOHNSON TO MOVE INTO OPEN SESSION.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION PASSED 3-0.

 

ADJOURNMENT- ALDERMAN JOHNSON MADE A MOTION, SECOND BY ALDERMAN ARTEAGA TO ADJOURN.  ON A CALL BY THE MAYOR FOR THE AYES AND NAYS, THE MOTION WAS APPROVED 3-0.  THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 8:50 P.M.

 

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED                                       ACCEPTED

 

 

 

JUDITH A ANDERSON, CLERK                                       JAN MUSKOPF, MAYOR