During the Tuesday meeting of the City of Salem Board of Aldermen, the board discussed the city’s legislative priorities.
In her staff summary of the priorities, City Administrator Sally Burbridge said that the city of Salem and all residents are impacted by legislative decisions, and the city has an opportunity to express to elected officials at a state level what the specific issues, laws, and regulations that the city feels, “as a voice for [its] citizens”, are of importance to the future and welfare of Salem.
“We have an opportunity to formalize a slate of concerns and items we support, and to share those with not only our locally elected state legislators, but also submit those to the Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC),” wrote Burbridge in the summary.
Burbridge noted that the city developing a formalized slate of legislative priorities doesn’t preclude individual citizens from contacting state legislators on their own to voice their concerns.
“It’s something that I think is important. It’s a way that we can help voice things that are important for our citizens, as well as our government itself,” she said during the meeting.
The city sent an email to the members of all the various city boards and committees, requesting additional input related to state legislative priorities.
The priorities brought before the aldermen include:
• Supporting legislation that would amend the eligibility of individuals interested in serving on Salem boards or committees to include non-residents that have ownership in property or business interests in Salem, so long as those individuals live in Dent County and do not occupy a majority of the board or committee seats. The document presented to the aldermen cites difficulties in filling the city’s boards and committees in recent years, and the fact that Salem is the only incorporated town in Dent County.
• Opposing legislation that would erode the taxing authority of municipalities or remove existing taxing revenues from municipalities. The document cites the fact that sales tax is the largest non-utility revenue provider for the city.
• Supporting legislation that streamlines permitting, promotes cost effective regulatory policies and encourages the utilization of opportunities to develop recommendations for locating new power generation facilities and grid improvements. According to the document, Missouri is a net importer of electrical energy, and the document cited the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), which anticipates that “every state west of the Mississippi may be subject to brownouts or rolling blackouts starting either this year or next year”, a conclusion they arrived at while monitoring the national power grid.
Discussion mostly centered around how MPUA, the power pool from which the city purchases electricity, felt about the electricity-related priority listed above. According to Burbridge, she reached out to MPUA, who approved of the priority. After discussion, Alderman Kyle Williams made the motion to approve the legislative priorities, and Alderman Shawn Bolerjack seconded. The vote was 4-0 in favor.
The board also discussed two requests for utility services for properties outside city limits. One of the requests had been tabled from a previous meeting and was brought before the board again for discussion. One of the requests was for a property on Franklin Street, and one was on Dilworth Lane.
The board discussed the circumstances involving each property. The property on Franklin St. requested sewer and water services, and the one on Dilworth Ln. was requesting water service.
Lines for both services exist nearby, according to discussion from the meeting, and the costs to the customers to pay for hookups was also discussed.
Both properties exist in what is sometimes called the “checkerboard area” by city officials—an area on the west side of town which is only partially annexed, leading to a confusing “checkerboard” of properties, some inside city limits, and some outside city limits. The two properties in question are contiguous with city limits and surrounded by city limits on all sides.
Because of this fact, discussion during the meeting centered around annexation, which the aldermen said should be a condition of granting these particular requests for utilities. Both requests were denied by 4-0 votes of the board, with the caveat that voluntary annexation would be required for those property owners to have their request granted.
The board also approved several board appointments. Mayor Greg Parker appointed Luke Heithold to the Parks and Recreation Board; Kristy Rushing, Patty McKeown, and Gary McKeown to the Community Service Committee; and Catharina Pot to the Utility Committee, filling the vacancy left following the resignation of former Committee Member Nathan Kinsey.
Also during the meeting:
• Mayor Parker presented a proclamation recognizing Honoring Our Heroes Marathon Day.
• The board discussed a need to perform updates to the road salt storage building. Last year, a new roof was installed on Bin #1. This year, Public Works Director Mark Nash asked the board to approve the purchase of materials for the other bin, which needs a new roof and “additional work”. Presented to the aldermen was one bid for materials from Roberts-Judson Lumber Co. in Salem in the amount of $9,604.09, including concrete. The cost includes only materials, as city crews will be performing the construction work. Alderwoman Kala Sisco moved to approve the bid, Bolerjack seconded, and the vote was 4-0 in favor.
• The board discussed three bids received for gravel to be used for “various street maintenance projects around the city,” according to a staff summary. Bid #1 was from Capital Quarries in Salem, asking for $10,000, Bid #2 was from Melrose Quarry in Rolla, and Bid #3 was from HCH Quarry, LLC, in Houston. The bid amounts for bids #2 and #3 were not included in the meeting materials, but price lists from each were included. Nash asked the board to approve the $10,000 bid from Capital Quarries. Williams moved to approve the bid from Capital Quarries, and Alderwoman Amanda Duncan seconded, and the vote was 4-0 in favor.
• The board approved a Letter of Commitment for a Cybersecurity Grant Program facilitated through the Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC). At a previous meeting of the MRPC board, they heard from cybersecurity professional Wes Hester with the Missouri Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (MCCoE), a non-profit based at the Missouri State University campus in Springfield, who discussed the importance of cybersecurity for local governments. A grant opportunity was discussed, and MRPC is considering applying to the MO Homeland Security FY2023 State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, to work with the MCCoE to “conduct cyber risk assessments for the local governments in the Meramec region”. MRPC said any local governments that wish to be included should sign and submit a letter of commitment by Oct. 24. Bolerjack moved to approve the letter, Sisco seconded, and the vote was 4-0 in favor.
• The board heard the second reading of Bill No. 3574, which amends the duties of the City Administrator.
• The board voted on a series of bills (No. 3564, 3566, and 3567) which rezone a series of properties. One rezoned a property at 1203 Babb Lane, owned by Sellers Investment Properties, from commercial to manufacturing/industrial. Another rezoned 1209 E. Scenic Rivers Blvd. owned by Sellers Investment Properties, from commercial to manufacturing/industrial. The third rezoned 1301 Babb Lane, owned by David Gray Jr., from Commercial to Manufacturing/industrial. These bills were tabled during previous meetings after Sisco cited a conflict of interest and said she must abstain from voting. At the previous meeting, a quorum could not be achieved without Sisco’s vote. Each bill was passed by a 3-0-1 vote, with Sisco abstaining.
